


The Warlords

by serpentguy



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Shichibukai crew, Straw Hats in background, Ten Years Later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-11
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-04-03 23:31:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 71,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4118704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serpentguy/pseuds/serpentguy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set 10 years after the canon timeline, in an alternate universe where the Shichibukai were each born into a different generation, there are seven pirates who will join forces. In another reality, they could have each shook the world on their own. In this universe, the Shichibukai will all join under a single pirate flag, and the world will shatter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Birth of Hawk Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A what-if story concerning a pirate crew made solely out of the Shichibukai.
> 
> Partly inspired by Phalanx's "The Supernova Eleven", but it is a completely different story.

The sound of gulls gently echoed through the peaceful seaside town. It was a quiet, peaceful day. As a matter of fact, Mihawk doubted that the town of Crabton had ever had an exciting moment in its lifetime.

The most exciting thing was happening by the docks, where a couple of fishermen were struggling to pull in a shark that had been lured into their snare. The beast wasn't even very big, but it fought furiously against the net and snapped at their harpoons. A crowd had gathered by the pier to watch the show, but no one went to help. Nobody wanted to get on the wrong side of a shark like that.

Mihawk watched the struggle for a while, before eventually wandering off to the Marine office on the far side of the town. For such quiet town, it was surprisingly popular among bounty hunters like him. There was small Marine base overlooking Crabton, but the marines had very little to do except sorting and paying out for bounties. This caused a regular stream of bounty hunters coming into collect their rewards in Crabton. Men like Mihawk.

None of it was very big work. There were no big fish in the East Blue. Instead, Mihawk got by hunting down little fish; small time pirates and mountain bandits, yet it was enough to make a living. Mihawk was young, but strong enough to get by.

The man behind the desk at the Marine office glanced at the boy as he entered, frowning at the large sword draped across his back. Mihawk knew that he looked like a mess. Mihawk was small and scrawny with ragged clothes, and yet he kept his sword, a hulking blade with a huge cross-guard, hung on his back. It made him look like a mouse trying to carry a particularly large knife. Mihawk kept his blade wrapped up in bandages so nobody noticed how valuable it was.

"Aren't you a bit young for a bounty hunter?" The clerk asked critically.

Mihawk laughed brightly. "I've got to eat somehow, right?" He walked up to the desk. "Anyways, I'm looking for a new bounty."

The clerk glanced at the wrapped up blade on his back. "Are you sure your sword is large enough?" He said sarcastically.

"It's a family heirloom." Mihawk muttered with a sheepish smile.

The man shrugged, and pulled up a pile of papers. "Name?"

"Mihawk." The boy replied. "Dracule Mihawk."

"There's a very serious name." He commented.

"My friends call me Mikey."

"Alright, I've found you." The clerk said, pulling up a sheet of paper. He examined it for a moment. "I've got your record. Yeah, I think we've got a couple of bounties for you."

The man left for a moment and then returned with a large booklet of papers. He flicked through the big names without a thought and went straight for the small ones at the very back. He pulled out a few and handed them to Mihawk.

"These should be alright." He said passing the papers to Mihawk. "All of them small, all of them in the area. There's one for petty theft, a couple for disturbance of the peace, and that last one's for excessive littering."

"Got it." Mihawk smiled, grabbing the papers and flicking through them quickly.

"Be careful with that one." The clerk cautioned, pointing to a bounty in the middle. The reward said 500 Beli. "That one might get violent. Maybe put it back if it's too much, yeah? Don't be a martyr, kid."

"It's fine." Mihawk grinned confidently. "I'm strong enough."

The clerk inspected him critically. "How old are you, anyways?"

"Fifteen."

The clerk nodded. Mihawk was small and skinny, he looked younger. "And you decided to be a bounty hunter?"

"This is all just training." Mihawk bragged proudly. "I'm going to get strong. I'm going to be the world's greatest swordsman."

The clerk had to stop his eyes from rolling. He heard that all the time, but there was no way to stop kids like him from going out and getting themselves killed.

Mihawk was just about to leave when he heard the gunfire. It came so suddenly that everyone in the building flinched and took cover. It started slow at first, but then quickened into an orchestra of bullets that echoed throughout the town. Then the loud booms of cannon fire cut through the air. Outside in the street, suddenly people were running.

"What the hell…?" One of the other bounty hunters murmured, slowly peering out the window. The sounds of battle were coming from the harbour. Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Everybody take cover!" He screamed, before jumping to the ground. Mihawk was suddenly frozen with fear. It sounded like a warzone outside. Fortunately, one of the other bounty hunters tackled him to the ground, just before the room exploded.

The flying shrapnel burst through the wall and the room shattered. He felt the debris fly over his head. Suddenly, half the building had been torn in half and Mihawk had a clear view out over the harbour, where he could see the sparks and explosions of what looked like a huge battle between the marines and some sort of invisible enemy. Just what was attacking the town?

Mihawk glanced behind him and he saw the cannonball that had burst through the building. Except it wasn't a whole cannonball, he realised slowly. The metal ball had been sliced cleanly in half.

"Everybody move!" Someone called and all the bounty hunters and marines started to run out. Mihawk followed them by pure instinct. All of the bounty hunters had their weapons drawn.

"What's happening here?" A bounty hunter screamed. "Who's attacking us?"

"It's him!" Came a panicked scream, so frightened it bordered on hysteria. "The Demon Hunter!"

Mihawk felt the entire crowd stiffen as the name was called out. " _Roronoa Zoro_!"

The even the very name send chills down the bounty hunters' spines. They all put their weapons away and started to run faster. Mihawk felt his heart beat with excitement. He knew who that was.

"Roronoa Zoro." He whispered under his breath. "The world's greatest swordsman…"

"Don't even think about it, kid!" A bounty hunter next to him shouted as they ran. He was a man of medium build wearing a green overcoat and red headgear. "Don't you know who he is? Roronoa Zoro is one of the Eleven Supernovas!"

Mihawk glanced at the man. "The what?"

"Along with the Marines and the Four Emperors, the Eleven Supernovas are one of The Three Great Powers! They disrupt the balance of the entire world! They're all ridiculously powerful!" The bounty hunter screamed.

"Roronoa _Zoro_." Came another voice from the crowd. He said the name like a curse. "That man… he's the first mate to the World's Most Wanted…"

Mihawk felt his heart racing. Around him, the sound of gunfire was slowly dying down. Somehow, he didn't think the battle had been won for the Marines.

They were running into the main plaza of Crabton. A crowd was gathered there, everyone was nervous and not sure what to do.

"What the hell is Roronoa Zoro doing here?" A man muttered with panic. "A monster like that has no place here in the East Blue! He belongs in the New World with all the other monsters…"

"Maybe he just got lost." Another man murmured. He was old, broadly built, and wearing a chef's hat.

"I was being serious, old man!" The man snapped in fear.

"And I wasn't joking." The chef muttered darkly. "That's the sort of place the Grand Line is."

For a while, there was silence. Nobody dared to speak unless it brought the wrath of Roronoa Zoro down upon them. Finally, a strangled voice called lowly from the end of the plaza. " _He's coming_!"

The footsteps were light, but they carried a weight that echoed through the town. A figure was casually walking across the plaza, like it was just a stroll in the park. The crowd cut apart to let him through wordlessly.

Mihawk had imagined a monster nine foot tall and breathing fire. Instead, Roronoa Zoro was of average height and normal build with lightly tanned skin. He wore a long, open, dark-green coat, closed on his waist by a red stash with a black bandanna tied around his arm. His swords were tucked into his waist. _Three swords_ , Mihawk noticed absentmindedly, all of them of exceedingly high quality.

Still, somehow the man was everything that Mihawk had predicted. He carried an aura of indescribable power that filled the plaza. It was an aura that made it hard to breathe.

The crowd split around him without a noise. It was so quiet that nobody dared to even breathe too loudly. Zoro just walked through, not paying any of the citizens a second glance.

The excitement was building within Mihawk. He could feel his body twitching. He had dreamt of being the greatest all his life, and now here was his chance. His arm slowly moved to his sword almost automatically.

Next to him, one of the bounty hunters glanced at Mihawk with shock. "What are you doing, kid?" He hissed.

"I just need to beat him." Mihawk whispered under his breath. The adrenaline was pounding through him. "I have to beat him…"

Mihawk had barely even whispered, but suddenly, even across the plaza, Zoro's ears twitched. The Supernova stopped walking and turned to face Mihawk. The man's grin was usually only seen on sharks.

"Was that a challenge, boy?" Zoro asked quietly.

In under a second and without a noise, people vanished from Mihawk's side. Suddenly, Mihawk was a very dangerous person to be around. All of Zoro's immense killing intent was suddenly focused on to him, and it was enough to make Mihawk feel faint. Still, the adrenaline pounding through him forced him to step forward.

Wordlessly, Mihawk drew his blade and let the cover fall of it. The Black Sword Yoru glinted in the bright sun.

For a moment, Zoro looked impressed. "That's a fine blade." He praised, examining Mihawk closely. "But do you know how to use?"

Mihawk gritted his teeth and took a firm grip on his sword. "I will… _exceed_ … you…" He muttered under his breath, his whole body so tense that he felt like he was going to explode. There was a moment of silence that felt like it stretched an eternity.

Then, without warning, Mihawk burst forward. He moved so fast he blurred, effortlessly swinging the seven foot tall blade in a large arc. He felt the surprise flow over the crowd as he charged. _Wow, that boy is good_ , they thought as one.

Mihawk moved faster than he had ever done before, attacking more viciously and hacking more furiously than he had ever managed. All he could see was blurs as he slashed repeatedly at the green shape that was Roronoa Zoro. A wordless scream left his lips as he swung Yoru so hard that it blew up a cloud of dust.

A feeling of euphoric victory past over him quickly as he couldn't see Zoro standing in front of him any longer. He was left panting weakly, trying to comprehend what has happening. _I have just beaten the world's greatest swordsman_. The thought was like a lightning strike. _I must have done_ …

The voice from behind hit him like a bombshell. Suddenly, Zoro was standing directly behind, re-sheathing one of his blades.

"I'm sorry." Zoro apologised faintly. "I should have used a smaller blade on you."

It took Mihawk a few seconds before he even felt the pain. All he knew was that his chest started to pour with blood, and then his whole world collapsed. He dropped to the ground as the gash across his chest, from shoulder to hip, started to bleed out.

Roronoa Zoro was standing over him. There was blood on one of his blades. _Only one blade_ , the part of Mihawk that wasn't delirious with pain thought weakly. _I'm not even worth one of his swords_.

"A blade like this is wasted on you." Zoro muttered with almost disdain, glancing at Yoru. "A sword can only be as sharp as its user, and this one is blunt in your hands."

Slowly, he bent down on picked up Yoru. "I will be taking this blade. A blade like this must be starving for proper combat." He muttered emotionlessly. He slung Yoru over his back and was already walking away. "Your form is weak, and your motions are crude. You have no talent for the sword so please stop trying. Give up whatever dreams of glory you have, they will never come true."

He paused to look at the Mihawk, who was bleeding out on the ground, and staggering for breath. "I have left you alive." He said finally. "Consider this a second chance and devote your life to some other ambition."

Mihawk barely managed to look upwards. "That sword… it was my fathers…" He gasped.

Zoro didn't even turn around. He was already nearly out of the plaza. "You are not worthy of it."

The rage boiled up inside Mihawk, overwhelming the pain. His pride, his dreams, and his heritage was at stake, and he refused to give in. He staggered to his feet, and pulled out his small dagger from around his neck. His body refused to give in to his wounds and suddenly he was charging towards Zoro's back, his knife in his hand.

The Supernova waited until he was mere yards away, and then moved so fast he blurred. Zoro's hand reached out and grabbed the stone wall of a nearby house, tearing through it with ease. In under a second, the concrete start to shake and the foundations buckled. The next thing Mihawk knew, tonnes of rubble were accelerating straight towards him.

 _He just threw a freaking_ house _at me_ , Mihawk realised with shock. That was the last thing Mihawk remembered for a while.

By the time the villagers had finally evacuated the rubble, everybody was shocked to discover that Mihawk was still alive. Nearly every bone in his body was shattered, and he was almost dead from blood loss, but he was still gasping for air even as they lifted the house off him.

The boy was taken to the doctors, who wasted no time in wrapping his whole body in bandages. Strangely, the boy's heartbeat was completely calm even as the bones were reset into place.

It took months for him to recover, during that time Mihawk never said a word. People tried to talk to him, but he just stared blankly through them. Eventually, people stared to whisper that he had been to the very edge of death and had left his soul there even as he crawled back. Whatever was left was just a shadow of a person, lacking any emotion.

People tried to help him, yet his whole body was wrapped up in bandages. The only part of him that was visible was his eyes, which just kept on staring forward; unblinking, unwavering. They were eyes of pure vengeance, so sharp that the stare could cut through steel.

Eventually, they started calling him "Hawk Eyes" Mihawk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was my first ever fanfic, from a year ago now, but reviews and suggestions are always helpful.
> 
> This first chapter is really just an introduction. I debated making it a prologue. In this AU, the Shichbukai as you know them were all children during the start of one piece. Instead, that gap of power was filled by the Eleven Supernovas.


	2. The Man Who Should Be King

The waves gently pounded against the boat as the fishing nets were pulled back. Hundreds of struggling fish fought helplessly against the nets as the fisherman heaved the haul into the boat. The trawler chopped through the waves, pulling in more fish while the crew worked non-stop just trying to keep the old ship afloat. The hull sunk dangerously close to the water while the nets were out, threatening to capsize at any moment.

Doflamingo worked with the rest of them, the lean teenager struggling trying to heave the huge nets into the ship. The teenager was tall but thin, slender with strong muscles; he was wearing dirty, worn, grey overalls, and he pulled the ropes with the rest of the crew.

The trawler kept on pushing forward for the rest of the day, and the work never stopped. It was an old boat, and there were constantly more chores than workers to do them.

By the time the ship finally returned to the harbour it was already getting dark, but the work wasn't over. At port, all the fish had to be sorted, gutted, and salted, and soon half the village was out on the dock clearing the trawler of its load.

It was long, hard and dirty work, but it was good. The villagers were friendly and laughed and joked even as the fish were gutted. It was a small village, but they had adopted Doflamingo with open arms two years ago.

"Oi, Doffy!" A fisherman called out friendly. "Did you get your haul in?"

The teenager grinned and held up a huge sack of dead fish. The fisherman grunted. "Ha! How did you get so good with a net, anyways?"

"It's a skill." Doflamingo replied brightly, taking his catch out pulling it over the bench. He glanced around to make sure no one was still looking, and carefully flexed out his finger. A razor-thin string zipped from his fingertip, the edge neatly cutting open a fish. His power was the String-String fruit, and he tried to keep it a secret. The village had been accepting, but people could be superstitious when it came to Devil fruits.

The sun was slowly starting to fall across the harbour, and it was nearly twilight by the time the fishermen were ready to pack up. It had been a hard day, but still Doflamingo had enjoyed it. The hard work was refreshing. The best part of the day, mind, was when everything was winding down and Doflamingo glimpsed a speck of pink approaching the docks.

Angela was slowly walking downwards, and she grinned brightly when she saw Doflamingo. He loved Angela. Everyone loved Angela. Each day she came down to the docks, and she would always wear a fluffy, pink scarf. It was the only dot of colour among the dull grey, and Doflamingo loved her just for bringing a bit of colour into his life.

"Hey, Doffy." She said happily. Angela had a beautiful smile, but her personality was even more stunning. She wore a flowered dress with her trademark pink scarf draped across her shoulders.

Doflamingo had to gulp. Even after two years, she would still take his breath away. It felt like there was a stone in his throat. "Hey." He managed finally, wiping the fish guts from his overalls.

"How was it?" She asked nicely, walking up beside him. Even in her pretty flowered dress, she didn't mind standing next to someone as dirty as him.

"Same as always." He said hesitantly. He had been tired, but whenever he was with her, he suddenly felt wide awake.

Doflamingo waved goodbye to the other fisherman as he walked away. They cheered and grinned as he left with Angela. She held his hand as they left docks, and just being so close to her made Doflamingo so nervous he had stop himself from twitching. His breath felt so loud and heavy, while he tried to hold himself together in her presence.

They could talk for hours. Angela had a way of putting him both completely at ease and making him utterly nervous at the same time. They gently walked right up to his quarters at the edge of the village, and Doflamingo felt just so happy being in her presence.

They stood outside the door, and Angela grinned and asked. "How long have you been living here?" She wondered.

"Nearly two years now." It wasn't a big cottage, but the village had been kind to donate it to the scrawny little castaway that washed up at the shore.

"It feels like just yesterday." Angela said sweetly. "You were so hungry and lost. I'm glad that you've got a place here now."

Doflamingo smiled nervously. "Me too."

"You had amnesia when we found you." There was a slight question in her voice.

Doflamingo looked away nervously. He couldn't lie to Angela, but there were some things that he couldn't tell either. There were things in his past that had to be kept secret.

"It's alright, Doffy." She said sweetly, almost reading his mind. "You don't have to tell me anything. I know that you were running from something, but I don't care about your past. I just want to let you know that you have a place here. You're safe here."

She rubbed his arm reassuringly, leaving Doflamingo lost for words as she walked away. Only Angela could ever take his breath away.

* * *

 

The next day, the morning sun filtered through his blinds and Doflamingo slowly woke up. It was a morning like any other, and he yawned as he pulled on his overalls. His boots were unceremoniously shoved on his feet before he stomped out the door, ready for work.

Doflamingo stomped outside, as slowly staggered into the village. He was wiping his eyes with tiredness, but he still so eager to see Angela again. He was heading to the tavern, when suddenly he heard something that made his blood turn cold.

Somebody was talking from inside the tavern; yet it was dull, almost monotone voice that Doflamingo never recognised. The village had less than fifty inhabitants, and Doflamingo knew them all by name. The village had a small harbour and only one boat. There were never any travellers through the island. It was the quietest, most out-of-the-way village in the East Blue. That was why Doflamingo chose this place to hide in.

There couldn't be any visitors _here_ , unless…

"So why are you here, Mister…?" A voice asked slowly from inside the tavern. Doflamingo stood outside the door, so scared his hands were trembling.

"Lieutenant. Lieutenant Vergo." The dull, monotone voice replied. Doflamingo felt his heart drop. "I'm tracking down an escaped criminal. I heard rumours that he may have come through here."

"Huh, there aren't many people that come through here." Someone replied nervously.

There was a sound of someone sipping a drink. "So who was the last?" The voice asked, carefully.

 _I need to run_ , Doflamingo thought desperately. The Marines had finally caught up with them. He had run from Mariejois years ago and took refuge in the quietest corner of the East Blue that he could find. With dread, he realised that his life was over. The quiet, peaceful life that he had spent the last two years enjoying was finally over.

He should run. If he ran now, he could make it to the harbour, hijack the ship and sail away before anyone knew what was happening. That was right thing to do. That was what he should do now, Doflamingo realised.

At the same time, Doflamingo knew that he couldn't just leave. If he ran, then all the villagers would end up being associates of a criminal. Doflamingo knew first-hand how ruthless the Marines could be when it came to upholding "justice". He couldn't do that to them. He couldn't that to Angela.

Instead, Doflamingo just stood perfectly still, listening with quiet dread as his life changed forever.

"I guess the last visitor we had was Doffy. He's a teenager that shipwrecked here two years ago, with amnesia." The villager replied.

Lieutenant Vergo took another sip. "I see, so where is Doffy now?"

"The boy stayed to work as a fisherman with us. He's got an old cottage on the edge of the villager." The answer was hesitant; unsure what the Marine officer wanted, but afraid to deny him.

There was a pause. "Thank you for your co-operation." There was the sound of someone standing up. "I must be going now. The coffee was delicious."

"That was water…"

There was the sound of heavy footsteps heading to the door. Large boots were stomping towards the exit. Still, Doflamingo couldn't move. The door opened, and Lieutenant Vergo stepped out.

The Marine was tall and muscular, with short dark hair, sideburns and sunglasses. He wore a white knee-length trench coat, and a Marines cap, with a large bamboo stick on his waist. He had the crumbs of sandwich stuck to the side of his mouth, yet he still exerted a dangerous aura. Vergo glanced at Doflamingo standing to the side of door, without a hint of surprise.

""Doffy", I presume?" Vergo asked quietly, looking over the blond, seventeen year old.

There was a moment's hesitation.

"I won't run." Doflamingo replied quietly.

There was a pause. "I believe you." Vergo nodded. "Say your goodbyes, and then meet me by the north shore in an hour."

Vergo was already starting to walk away calmly. "If you are late, I will hold these villagers responsible." He added, without even a hint of emotion.

The Lieutenant had already left, leaving Doflamingo standing perfectly still. The teenager took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He glanced up inside the tavern, where the villagers were looking confused, not sure what was happening. He saw Angela, looking back at him with concern. This might be his last chance to say goodbye, he realised.

Still, Doflamingo said nothing. He just wasn't strong enough. Slowly, he turned around and walked away.

* * *

 

An hour later, Doflamingo arrived at the north shore of the island. He had all of his belongings in a bag slung over his shoulder. Two years of his life had fit neatly into a small bag. It had taken him the entire hour just to prepare himself. The Lieutenant was standing patiently for him, staring out to sea. There was a small dingy flying the Marine flag rocking slightly in the waves by the shore.

"You came." Vergo stated simply.

"Where else could I go?" Doflamingo asked with a scowl. "There's only one boat to get me off this island."

He motioned to the Marine dingy. The fishing trawler was too old to survive any long journey out to sea, and besides, the village depended on that boat. The island was too small; there was no way to run or hide. The small boat that Vergo arrived in was the only way out.

"Fair enough. Do you want to finish this?"

Doflamingo nodded. "I won't go back there alive."

"Fortunately, the wanted poster says " _Dead or Alive_ "." Vergo replied simply.

"Good point." Doflamingo conceded. "Did you really come here all by yourself? No backup?"

Vergo nodded. "Admiral Smoker will be forced to give me a promotion if I bring you back." He explained. "They still tell stories about you. _Donquixote Doflamingo_ – the boy who ran away from being a World Noble. The boy who ran away from _royalty_. If I kill you, my career is made."

"Well then, that makes it simple." Doflamingo agreed, dropping his bag on to the ground. He glared at Vergo darkly. "Let's get this over with."

"If you insist." Instantly, Vergo was sprinting towards him, swinging his arm across his body. The next thing Doflamingo knew, the Lieutenant was slamming his elbow straight into the teenager's face. Doflamingo tasted the blood, and was sent flying backwards.

He grunted, before bracing himself and extending his fingers. Suddenly, razor-thin wires were extending from his fingers, and Doflamingo slashed upwards. The wires cut through Vergo shoulder, drawing blood, but the Marine barely seemed to notice.

Vergo brought down a vicious left hook, but Doflamingo just managed to block with a net of thin strings. Without pausing, Vergo changed the attack into roundhouse kick, slamming into Doflamingo chest and knocking the teenager to the ground.

It felt like he had broken a rib, but despite the pain and blood Doflamingo felt a huge grin split open his face. Vergo charged again, and Doflamingo weaved his string through the air. The threads sliced across Vergo's body until he was covered in slashes, yet still the Marine didn't even pause as he planted his fist straight into Doflamingo's face.

It had been years since Doflamingo had used his Devil fruit power so much, but now the strings were flying out of him. Even as the teenager was flying backwards through the air, he wrapped his string around Vergo and dragged the Marine down with him.

Vergo kept on punching. Every blow felt like a sledgehammer. Each fist slammed against Doflamingo like concrete. Each punch was unwavering and solid. Vergo never hesitated; he just kept on dishing out the pain.

Yet Doflamingo kept on standing up. Every punch was met with wires slicing through the air, until Vergo was bleeding from hundreds of cuts across his body. Doflamingo could feel the pain, but the adrenaline just kept on pushing him forward. Eventually, the teenager was laughing manically even as Vergo pounded the living daylights out of him.

Each punch felt harder than the last, yet Doflamingo shrugged them all off. His bones might have been pulverised into dust, but he didn't care. The blood just kept on oozing out on to the ground, and the primal instincts took over.

It seemed like it took like an eternity, but eventually Doflamingo could see Vergo starting to slow down. The man was a beast, but he was losing too much blood. Doflamingo's string kept on slicing up his flesh, and he was weakening. As Vergo pulled back his fist for another jaw-breaking punch, Doflamingo could see him struggling to stay conscious. Doflamingo's laugh became almost hysterical.

Doflamingo wrapped the string around Vergo, causing the man to grunt as he struggled to escape the threads. Doflamingo never gave him a chance, but suddenly pulling himself backwards and then head-butted the Marine with a bone-crunching impact.

Both men suddenly fell backwards. The adrenaline was starting to slow down. Vergo just kept on bleeding out into the ground. Doflamingo took a deep breath, and started to laugh again.

Doflamingo was laughing so hard he was almost crying. His heart was still pounding in his chest. "I forgot how much I missed this!" Doflamingo exclaimed loudly, still lying on his back on the ground. "The blood! The brutality! No reason or thought, just kill or be killed! This is truly what life is really about."

He glanced at the Marine across from him, also panting deeply, unable to move.

"You feel it too, don't you?" Doflamingo asked eagerly. "It's the common nature of all men. Kill or be killed, and there's _nothing_ more beautiful!"

Vergo nodded, almost absentmindedly. "Yes, I feel it too."

He chuckled madly. "You know, it's a shame it has to end like this. I have feeling that if we met under different circumstances, we might have been friends."

"Yes." Vergo agreed. "But it is unfortunate that one of us has to die."

Doflamingo's grin widened even further. "For so long I've buried this part of me." He muttered wistfully. "I thought I could escape my past, but I was a fool. You can't escape the person you really are. I'm sick of running; I've had enough of hiding. I think it's time that the world saw the person that I really am." Doflamingo glanced at Vergo. "So thank you, you've really helped me sort some issues out."

Vergo pulled himself up. "You're welcome." He said politely. "Shall we end this?"

Doflamingo pulled himself up too. "Oh, it'll be my pleasure."

Vergo pulled off his trench coat and dropped his broken sunglasses. Without the coat, his muscles seemed to bulge even further. He had lost so much blood, but he just kept on going. The two men stared at each other for half a second, letting the tension build.

The Lieutenant charged first, but he had lost too much blood. He was too slow. Doflamingo threaded his string around the air. Each thread was unbreakable, wrapping into a near-invisible net that surrounded the Marine. Within a second, Vergo was trapped and struggling in a net he couldn't break.

"I'm sorry." Doflamingo muttered between heavy pants. "But please die."

His fingers flexed, drawing out a single string that weaved through the air, before flicking it towards Vergo. It hit Vergo at the waist, and just kept on cutting. Doflamingo swore that he glimpse the Marine give half a smile before he fell to the ground. Doflamingo stood over the two halves of the dead Marine, and suddenly he was laughing again.

His body was beaten, bruised and broken, but he had won. The Marines had found his trail again, and soon or later more would come, but he just didn't care. The teenager kept on laughing, and he knew that everything had changed.

* * *

 

It was nearly dark by the time Doflamingo staggered back into the village. He had tried to clean himself up, but his grey overalls were still stained with blood. He was swaying slightly as he walked, but he knew what he had to do.

He found Angela standing outside the tavern. The other villagers were inside, relaxing after a hard day's work. Angela looked at his beaten face with worry, yet Doflamingo just grinned.

"You're going to have to leave now." Angela realised. It wasn't a question, but the statement was still edged with regret.

Doflamingo nodded. "More will be coming after me shortly. I've got to go." Angela was smart enough not to ask what happened to Lieutenant Vergo.

"I'm sorry." She said softly. There were tears in her eyes.

Doflamingo smiled and lightly stroked her cheek. "Don't be." He said tenderly. "These last two years have been amazing. When I was here, it was taste of a life that I never had, and I was happy."

He paused. "But this life isn't for me." He said sadly. "I've got a destiny, and I'm going to own it. I'm tired of running. I'm sick of hiding. I'm not going to be nothing anymore."

"I'm going to be _king_." He proclaimed with a smile.

Angela hugged him tightly. "I'm going to miss you."

"I know." Doflamingo held her for a moment. "I promise I'll come back if I'm still alive."

There were sounds from inside the tavern. He didn't want to have to explain to the other villager's that he had just murdered a Marine officer. It was best if he just left now. He hugged Angela for as long as he could, before slowly letting go and walking away.

He only got a couple of steps before Angela called out to him. "Hey."

Doflamingo turned, and Angela took off her pink scarf and wrapped it around his neck, using the scarf to pull him down to her. She kissed him suddenly, and Doflamingo's heart skipped a beat.

It lasted a couple of seconds, before she let go. She was grinning madly. So was he.

"Pink looks good on you." She said finally.

Doflamingo smile reached new heights. He was laughing wildly as he walked away, clutching his new pink scarf tightly. Nobody was ever taking that scarf from him.

Destiny was calling him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternate title for this chapter: Why Doflamingo wears pink.
> 
> Yes, I know that Doflamingo's background hasn't been revealed yet, and it has been left deliberately vague. I'm planning on expanding on it later, but for now the story is just that Doflamingo ran away from being a World Noble and lots of people are after him for it.
> 
> That's probably going to come up later.
> 
>  
> 
> Next chapter: Doflamingo meets Mihawk. Everyone else runs for their lives…


	3. The Probationary Pirates

Doflamingo sighed gently, absentmindedly picking his nails while the boat chopped through the waves.

"God, I forgot how boring this was…" He muttered miserably, staring at the walls of the cabin absentmindedly. "I hope I reached land soon."

Outside the cabin, the storm was raging. The winds were howling and the rain was pounding. The sky was being cut open by lightning. The waves were so high that every impact threatened to pulverise the small ship into splinters. Still, Doflamingo didn't really care.

The boat rocked dangerously, and Doflamingo gently extended his index finger. A thin string was loosened, and outside the mast of the boat rocked gently as the tension was let out of the sail. Doflamingo curled his middle finger, another string twanged, and on the other side of the ship the steering wheel turned slightly and the boat steered to starboard.

The storm was still furious and the waters were churning dangerously, but Doflamingo was just lazily sitting by himself in the cabin, swinging on his chair despite the rocking boat. There were dozens of near invisible strings threaded throughout the ship, and Doflamingo could control the entire boat by simply twiddling his fingers, like a puppeteer.

There was another crack of lightning, drowning out the hurricane waves. Doflamingo groaned in annoyance. He had been sailing by himself, in this tiny boat, for three whole days and he was sick of it.

"I need a crew." He decided finally. "I need some company if I want to survive this boredom."

He glanced around the small cabin. His boat, formerly belonging to Lieutenant Vergo, was barely more than a dingy.

"And I need a better ship. And some supplies. A map. It might be useful to know where I'm actually going." He mused. "How do you even get into the Grand Line, anyways?"

He fidgeted slightly, causing the boat to rock, while he looked at the wall, deep in thought. "And I need a pirate flag." He said finally. "Definitely need a pirate flag."

There was another pause. Doflamingo glanced down, and he realised that he was still wearing his dirty grey overalls, with his precious pink scarf draped around his neck. "And most importantly…" He decided. "I need some better clothes."

* * *

 

On a nearby island, a nurse walked into the hospital ward and started changing the sheets of the sleeping patients and changing the water bottles. She got halfway through the ward before she realised there was an empty bed, covered in blood.

At once, the nurse dropped everything and ran to get the doctor.

Five minutes later, she returned with the doctor, pointing at the empty bed with worry. "See!" The nurse exclaimed frantically. "He's gone!"

The doctor adjusted his glasses as he looked around. "But the boy has been paralysed for nearly six months! There's no way he's capable of walking around…"

"Should we alert the guards?"

The doctor shook his head with fervour. "No." He said definitely. "It wouldn't do any good. We just tidy up, get on with our work, and pray he never comes back…"

The doctor still looked almost scared. His patient had never said a word, but still he had deeply frightened the doctor. The teenager had been close to death and wrapped up in bandages, but still… those eyes. He had nightmares about those eyes.

The doctor shivered. Hawk-Eyes Mihawk was an absolute demon…

* * *

It was another two days before Doflamingo finally saw land across the horizon. By then, Doflamingo was so fidgety from isolation. He was so wound up he had been pacing his cabin constantly, desperate to finally get back on dry land. He had a whole list of things that he needed, but absolutely no money to buy anything.

Still, his lack of funds wasn't really an issue. He was a pirate after all.

By twiddling his fingers carefully, Doflamingo stood on the deck and carefully steered the ship into port. He had stripped his ship of any Marine colours, and he wasn't yet flying a Jolly Roger. He was just an ordinary traveller here.

He was just stepping out on to the dock, when suddenly an old man ran up to him. "Oi!" The old man called in hoarse voice. "It cost 200 Beli to harbour your ship here for each night."

Doflamingo grinned. The teenager just shrugged. "That's alright; I'll be gone before it gets dark."

The harbourmaster shook his head, holding up a clipboard with frustration. "Doesn't matter, you still need to pay."

The teenager made a show of patting down his pocket-less overalls. "I've got no money, sorry." He replied happily, already starting to walk away. "Feel free to try and arrest me."

The old man shook his head, almost with pity. "Nobody is going to _arrest_ you here." He muttered under his breath darkly. "There are no Marines in this town."

That made Doflamingo pause. "Really? Why not?"

The harbourmaster hesitated. "Are you a pirate?" He asked suddenly.

"Kind of." Doflamingo replied sheepishly.

The old man raised a wrinkled eyebrow. "How can you be a "kind of" pirate?"

"Well, I'm _intending_ on being a pirate." Doflamingo explained. "But, as of this moment, I have yet to actually commit any acts of piracy. So I suppose I'm… a pirate-in-training?" He thought about it for a bit. "A probationary pirate? Anyways, you get the point."

"Aye." The harbourmaster nodded. "You're a young fool that's going to get killed." The old man was already walking away, dropping his clipboard and shaking his head in despair. "Take my advice and get out of this own. This isn't not a safe place for people like you."

The probationary pirate watched with bemusement as the old man walked away, before shrugging and heading off into town.

A group of three thugs, watching from a nearby street, took note of the newcomer and followed after a couple of seconds.

* * *

 

Mihawk slowly staggered across the dirt path. His body was still bandaged and damaged. His bones were weak and muscles had withered away after six months in a hospital bed. He was weak, tired, and starving, but still he was driven by a pure, unrestrained, desire for vengeance.

He had stumbled from the hospital in a daze, not recognising where he was. He just walked blindly across the path, his fingers twitching. There was only one thought the echoed around his mind: _I need a sword…_

Finally he glimpsed a large town, and walked silently to the entrance. There were a couple of thugs standing guard by the path. They were big, muscled, tattooed and carried knives.

"Oi, look here." Thug no. 1 nudged his partner as Mihawk approached, staggering forward in bandages. "Look like the night of the living dead is a bit early."

Thug no. 2 laughed snidely, picking his nails with a knife. Mihawk didn't even react. His eyes kept on looking forward, unblinking. He had gotten good at not blinking in those six months lying paralysed in a hospital.

Thug no. 1 held out a muscled arm to stop Mihawk passing.

"Hold on there, zombie, if you want to get through, you've got to pay the _toll_." He said with a smile, revealing several missing teeth. There was a tattoo of a clown on his biceps, Mihawk noticed absentmindedly.

Mihawk didn't respond, but just walked around Thug no. 1. Then, Thug no. 2 pushed Mihawk backwards, causing him to stumble while Thug no. 2 held out his knife threateningly.

"Hey, kid." Thug no. 2 hissed in a raspy voice. "You've got to pay up. Do you have any idea just _who_ runs this town?"

Both thugs were much bigger than Mihawk, and in better shape. They were armed, he was not. Still, it was a widely unfair fight. Thug no. 1 collapsed first from a fist in the stomach, and Thug no. 2 lasted five seconds before Mihawk bounced his head off the ground.

"Do you have any idea how little I care?" Mihawk muttered emotionlessly, heading into the town.

* * *

 

Doflamingo sat down at a tavern, and called for the barman. "Hey there!" The teenager greeted brightly. "I need to know where I can find a clothes shop, a mapmaker, a new ship, and a bunch of strong guys looking for a captain. In that order."

The barman looked puzzled, before a look of fear passed cross his face as heavy footsteps approached from behind Doflamingo. Suddenly, the atmosphere changed and all the other patrons started to rush away.

A heavy hand was placed on Doflamingo's shoulder. He turned to see three grinning goons looking down at him.

"Hello, there _boy_." One of them said with a toothy smile. He was an overweight, dark skinned man with a uni-brow and a goatee, wearing a black vest and grey shorts.

"We heard that you just left your ship at the docks without paying." Another continued. He was scrawny man with orange poofy hair split into two sides and thick lips, wearing a yellow and blue striped shirt.

"Now then, our boss doesn't like people just wondering into his town without paying their _due_." The third one muttered darkly, tightening his grip on Doflamingo's shoulder. This one was pale skinned with beady eyes, wearing a yellow shirt and a black cap with Jolly Roger on the forehead.

"Huh, really?" Doflamingo said with a smirk. "I never knew that."

The one gripping his shoulder drew a large knife with his other hand. "Do you have any idea just _who_ we work for?"

Doflamingo looked them up and down for a second. "The Society for Awful Dress Codes?" He guessed finally.

The look of shock on their faces was priceless, until the pale skinned one growled and pulled his knife back. "We're the Tightrope Walking Funan Bros!" He roared angrily, slashing forward with his knife, "And you just picked the wrong town, stranger!"

Suddenly, Doflamingo grabbed his hand and the knife stopped still, a foot from Doflamingo's face. The teenager tightened his grip slightly, and the sound of bones cracking filled the entire tavern. Doflamingo just kept on smiling.

While the leader screamed in pain, the scrawny one held his hands up weakly. "… Um, we didn't mean it…?" He fumbled desperately.

That was the last thing any of them managed to say, before Doflamingo threw all three thugs through the window.

* * *

 

A street away, in another tavern, Mihawk scrambled through the door. Every patron looked at him in shock. Mihawk grabbed the nearest patron by the scruff of the neck suddenly.

" _Sword-smith_." Mihawk growled; his voice was still hoarse from not speaking in so long. " _Where_?"

The patron gulped. He pointed weakly, trying to appease this angry zombie. "Two streets away." He said quickly.

Mihawk dropped the man roughly and turned around. He needed a sword. He was hungry and weak, but he needed a sword much more than he needed food or medical treatment. He was a swordsman and he needed a _sword_.

Suddenly, three men barged into the tavern. They were big men, and they were angry. All the other patrons were already rushing away.

"Hey, did you attack our gate guards –" One of them shouted at Mihawk. He was cut short by Mihawk slamming his elbow into his face. The large, bald man collapsed to the ground.

"How dare you –" The second one screamed. He had tanned skin and wore a black and white bandanna. He was interrupted by Mihawk slamming his head into the ground.

"Don't you underestimate us!" The final one screamed. He was a dark skinned man with brown hair, and the only one that actually managed to raise his fists to fight back. "We're the Superhuman Domingos, you bast –"

Whatever he was about to say was cut short, after Mihawk planted his knuckles right between the man's eyes.

* * *

 

Doflamingo was laughing again. He was almost in hysterics as he threw the Tightrope Walking Funan Bros up and down the street.

There was panic, glorious panic, and people started screaming and shouting. All the townspeople were running for covering as the bodies were flying through the air.

More thugs were running towards him. These guys were carrying weapons and looked angry. They came pouring through the streets from every alley and from every house. There was lots of shouting, and they were all heading for Doflamingo.

"There's an army of them!" Doflamingo shouted happily. The wires were flying from his fingertips as he slashed backwards and forth, but the goons just kept on coming.

A man screamed as Doflamingo kicked him into the air. Another begged for mercy as Doflamingo slammed his face to the ground. Two of them tried to run, but Doflamingo wrapped his string around their ankles and started to twirl their bodies around their heads like a pair of nunchucks.

The frenzy was brilliant. They tried to charge Doflamingo down and soon there were a dozen guys trying to tackle him to the ground. Half a second later, there were a dozen guys flying through the air.

There was a bell ringing, and Doflamingo heard a voice screaming throughout the town. "All pirates get to the docks! A couple of guys want to cause trouble!"

Doflamingo paused just as he was about to punch a goon. "A couple of guys?" He wondered out loud. "Who's the other one?"

Just as he said it, a nearby shop front exploded as half a dozen men were kicked through the wall. A slender teenager covered in bandages walked over their bodies, before looking up and down the street.

"Damn it, not here." The teenager muttered darkly, looking around the street as if he was lost.

"Who the hell are you?!" Doflamingo shouted in surprise.

The bandaged teenager glared at him with amazingly piercing eyes. _Who am I…?_ The question brought back memories so strong they caused him to shudder. The teenager gritted his teeth and looked at Doflamingo, as if he was challenging the world to try and stop him.

"I am Dracule Mihawk." He proclaimed in a hoarse voice that echoed with determination. " _And I will become the World's Greatest Swordsman_."

Doflamingo hesitated, suddenly not quite sure how to respond to that. Eventually, in a small voice, he pointed out, "Um… yeah… you know that you don't actually have a sword, right?"

"I'm working on it!" Mihawk snapped angrily, kicking a thug that made the unfortunate decision to try and stand up.

Doflamingo shrugged, and then laughed as another wave of pirates started to charge at them. "Whatever, there's plenty here to go around!" He said as cheerfully as a little boy at Christmas. "Do you want to get a bit wild with me?"

Mihawk scowled, glaring at the army of pirates that were charging at him. He shook his head in distaste. "These aren't enemies," He said darkly, cracking his knuckles. "They're just _practice_ …"

* * *

 

On the other side of town, an out-of-breath pirate rushed through a dark door. He never even managed to step inside the room before there was a knife at his throat.

"You dare to disturb me?" A voice muttered darkly, and the unlucky pirate felt the knife drawing blood from his neck.

At once, the pirate was panicking. "I'm sorry… sir…" He gasped, "But there are intruders in the town… they're causing a ruckus…"

"Then _kill_ them, fool." The voice growled.

"We can't, boss…" The pirate pleaded, "These guys are really strong… we can't touch them…"

From inside of the room, there was deep, bestial growl. It was the sound of a wild animal hungry for blood. The pirate was trembling with fear. After half a second, the knife was removed from his neck, yet the messenger never felt any safer.

"What a bunch of miserable subordinates…" The man muttered angrily. There was the sound of blades being drawn, and two sets of footsteps echoed through the room. The animalistic growling just became louder.

"It looks like we'll have to handle these clowns ourselves…"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, the action begins.
> 
> Mihawk is a bit crazy after just coming out of a coma. Doflamingo is a bit crazy all the time. Fortunately, they both landed in a town with lands of thugs to beat up. And thus, a beautiful and very violent friendship is born.
> 
> Next chapter: "How Doflamingo Got His Groove Back"


	4. How Doflamingo Got His Groove Back

The street was wrecked. There were bodies littered everywhere, and the buildings were ruined. The blood was pouring, but they just kept on coming.

"Who are these guys…?" Mihawk grumbled, while punching another thug to the ground. Doflamingo was impressed. Mihawk was short and skinny, but he knew how to fight. He just kept on hitting with relentless fury. He could see Mihawk's injuries, yet they didn't even slow him down. Mihawk was fuelled by pure grit and determination, rather than flesh or blood.

"How should I know?" Doflamingo protested, while strangling three men at the same time with his strings.

"Well, you're fighting them!"

"So are you!"

Mihawk grunted, while grabbing the neck of a man who tried to go for a sneak attack. "They were in my way." He growled merciless.

Doflamingo shrugged. "I was just bored."

A knife was flung at Doflamingo from above. He narrowly sidestepped it. He glanced up to see four men running across the roof of the buildings towards them, wielding blades and screaming furiously.

"They just keep on coming…" Doflamingo muttered. He was breathing heavily now.

"Fools!" One of them shouted while jumping across the roof. These guys were faster than the others. "You are facing the Acrobatic Fuwas!"

Suddenly, they threw half a dozen shurikens at Doflamingo. He barely managed to weave a net of string in the air to block them all. Grumbling, Doflamingo slung out his strung and wrapped it around the roof, using it as a slingshot to fire himself upwards. He was met in mid-air by two Acrobatic Fuwas cartwheeling off the roof.

Mihawk grunted. "There are freaks everywhere…" He mumbled.

Suddenly, the other two Fuwas dropped from the roof and stabbed vertically downwards towards Mihawk with short swords. Mihawk grabbed both blades with his bare hands. The edge cut into his palm, but Mihawk couldn't even feel the pain.

The enemies growled and drew another two blades. Mihawk dodged them both and then slammed both men into the ground. The two Acrobatic Fuwas yelled as they recovered, drawing even more throwing knives and launching them all at Mihawk.

He dodged most of them, but one bit into his shoulder. At this point, Mihawk never even cared about further injuries. Mihawk hit the first of the pirate in the jaw and sent him flying. The other one tried to stab him from behind, but Mihawk dodged, and then turned to head-butted the man to the ground.

Above on the roof, Doflamingo danced trying to dodge the projectiles the Fuwas hurled at him. These guys were agile, and they managed avoid every slash of string that Doflamingo threw.

"We'll kill you, brat!" One of them growled, launching himself at Doflamingo with a knife. "We'll hang you by that damn girly pink scarf!"

Suddenly, Doflamingo grabbed the man's arm during the lunge. The Fuwas was left dangling helplessly while Doflamingo glared at him with sudden fury.

"I'm sorry…" Doflamingo growled, "Were you _insulting_ my _scarf_?"

A flash of panic went over the man's face. Instantly, Doflamingo slashed out with a wave of threads, and the man screamed in agony as the blood splashed everywhere. The enemy fell limp to the ground.

Doflamingo turned to face the last Fuwa, who was instantly painfully aware that he was last one left.

"I think your scarf looks really manly." The man pleaded weakly, just as Doflamingo's boot was launched at his face. "You really pull off that look –"

As the last body dropped, Mihawk pulled the knife out of his shoulder. Around him, the pirates had stopped trying to charge them. The defeated pirates were pulling themselves up off the ground, but no one dared to try attacking the duo again. There were a whole bunch of thugs that weren't moving at all.

All of the broken pirates were staring at Mihawk and Doflamingo with a mixture of fear and amazement. Doflamingo was standing on the roof, arms wide and laughing at the broken enemies. Mihawk just kept on walking, still looking for the sword shop.

"I'm getting really sick of this circus." Mihawk grumbled, stepping over the bodies.

"Oh, but the circus has just begun." A voice called out from the behind him.

Mihawk turned just to glimpse a throwing knife slicing through the air. He couldn't dodge in time and took the blade to his stomach.

Doflamingo reacted quickly, but suddenly there was a whirl of motion and hundreds of objects were spinning towards him. He weaved a net of string in less than a second, and just as they collided in the net he realised that they were spinning tops. Less than a second later, every spinning top exploded and Doflamingo was sent shooting backwards.

Even as he was sliding down the roof, he glimpsed the something rocketing towards him. Doflamingo barely managed to dodge a blade shooting towards his head, and earned a cut across his neck.

"You're fast." A voice by his ear mocked. Doflamingo twisted around and tried to cut at his foe with string, but the blur was gone.

A second later, Doflamingo collided roughly with the ground. As he was struggling to recover, he saw a figure charging towards him.

"But I'm faster!" The blur shouted, just as plumes of fire exploded next him. Doflamingo rolled, but the fire still scorched his back.

Doflamingo screamed in pain from the burns. He never even had a moment to recover as dozens of shurikens were launched at him. This guy was fast!

"Who is it now…?" Mihawk grumbled, as he turned to face the struggling Doflamingo.

Just as Mihawk turned, he heard a roar. Mihawk barely had time to flinch as a huge animal came bursting from the nearby building. He only managed to glimpse fur and lots of sharp teeth, before suddenly Mihawk was taken off his feet.

Doflamingo staggered to recover against his enemy. "Who the hell are you?" He growled. Finally he got a good look at his foe.

His enemy was a tall, lean man with dark, greasy hair and riding a unicycle. His hair covered half his face and he wore a sleeveless brown coat and white pants, with a blue and white scarf covering his mouth. He had a slender sword in his hand. Somehow, he had a face that Doflamingo just really wanted to punch.

"You may call me Cabaji." The man responded with a sly smile, waving his blade around. "I run the muscle in this town. I am a second officer of the Pirate Dispatch Organisation, but all you need to know is that I am going to kill you."

"Better men than you have tried." Doflamingo grinned.

* * *

The impact nearly caused Mihawk to lose consciousness. It was lucky he didn't, because the next thing he knew, there were sharp teeth trying to bite off his head. It took all of his strength to hold the animal's jaws open while the beast rammed him through an entire house.

Five seconds later and he was forced out into the next street across. Finally, the monster spat him out and Mihawk was sent gasping for air as he landed on the pavement roughly.

Mihawk was bleeding again. Not that it really mattered, at this point. The monster's teeth had pierced the skin on his arms and shoulder even as he held its jaws open. Mihawk grunted and glared upwards, where a huge lion was pacing around him. It was the biggest animal he had ever seen, a freakishly large lion that was growling for blood. Mihawk never dared to take his eyes off that monster.

"You're strong." A voice called from behind him. "Not many people could hold Richie's mouth open with their bare hands."

Mihawk was forced to glimpse behind him. A man was standing behind him, with weird white hair surrounding his body, making him look almost like a teddy bear. He wore blue trousers with yellow sash, and carried a long, slender whip.

"My apologies," The man said smugly. "I am Mohji, Beast Tamer Extraordinaire. You are facing the boss of this town, and a first officer of the Buggy Pirates."

"I don't care." Mihawk growled. His eyes were suddenly more vicious than the lion's. "You're just practice."

A flash of annoyance passed across Mohji's furry face. "I hate brats like you the most!" He snapped, flicking his whip forward. "Get him, Richie!"

The whip hit Mihawk across the back, and tangled his right arm as the hard leather bit into his flesh. At his master's command, the lion Richie pounced, while Mihawk was left unable to run. Mohji was laughing as Richie's teeth came down.

Mihawk never even tried to dodge. Instead, he just pulled back his left arm into a ferocious roundhouse punch that hit the lion straight on the jaw. The beast was knocked back in surprise, and with his other hand Mihawk grabbed the whip and pulled Mohji towards him, flinging the tamer at his animal.

In a mess of confusion, both of them landed on a heap in the ground. Mohji turned to face Mihawk with wordless fury, while Richie shrugged off that blow.

Mihawk was left bleeding, staggering for breath, and all his injuries were taking their toll. He was barely able to stand up properly, but still, Mihawk's eyes never wavered. They were unblinking, vicious and utterly determined.

"Like I said," Mihawk snarled through shallow breaths. "You're just _practice_."

* * *

Another hail of spinning tops cut open Doflamingo's side, followed shortly by a hail of throwing knives. Cabaji never even paused, and suddenly he was rushing from behind and slashing downwards with his blade.

Doflamingo barely managed to stop the sword with a single thread, yet Cabaji responded with a swift kick to Doflamingo's side. The teenager realised too late that there was a small blade on his shoe.

The pain caused Doflamingo to collapse, and Cabaji brought down his blade in a large arch. Doflamingo lashed out with his strings but Cabaji was already running away. He was fast on that damn unicycle…

The wound on his side was agony, but a second later Doflamingo had to run from another barrage of bombs.

"How many of these tricks do you have?" He grumbled angrily. This wasn't a fight; it was just Cabaji throwing things at him until he collapsed.

"Enough to kill you." Cabaji responded smugly, riding his unicycle vertically up the wall and coming down from above. Doflamingo had to dive to avoid the aerial attack, while Cabaji's blade sparked off the ground. Doflamingo lashed out with a net of string, yet still the acrobat just darted backwards.

"That power of yours is annoying." Cabaji commented, and Doflamingo realised that one of threads had slashed Cabaji's cheek, drawing a trickle of blood. "But you still can't match my speed."

"Get off that bike and then try saying that." Doflamingo panted.

Cabaji grinned arrogantly. "But it's more fun to kill you like this."

He drew another knife, and Doflamingo readied himself to dodge. Suddenly there was an explosion next to him. A house burst open, and instantly Mihawk was sent barrelling out and crashing into a wall.

Half a second later, he was followed by a huge lion that pounced on to him. Mihawk barely managed to dodge its teeth, but then he was hit by a huge paw and sent flying down the street.

Doflamingo looked away momentarily, and Cabaji went for attack. Cabaji's sword scraped across his shoulder, followed by a kick to his wounded side. Doflamingo screamed in pain, yet Cabaji followed by a volley of razor-sharp needles. Doflamingo dived out the way, but still winced as several needles hit his back. They weren't deep, but they stung.

Doflamingo struggled to stand up, and he found himself standing back to back with Mihawk. Cabaji was circling across the rooftops, waiting for another attack. On the other side, the lion was stalking Mihawk, joined by another man with teddy bear ears and a whip.

"How's your fight going?"Doflamingo muttered weakly to Mihawk, not taking his eyes off Cabaji.

"Fine." Mihawk snapped through shallow breaths.

"Really? Cause it looked like you were being used as chew toy for an overgrown kitten."

"I'm sorry; aren't you busy substituting for a pin cushion?"

"Good point." Doflamingo conceded.

There was a silence as both parties readied for the next attack. Mihawk frowned. "I can't get past that lion to the tamer." He growled.

"I can't even keep track of this guy." Doflamingo complained.

The silence stretched out a bit longer as they both considered the other's situation. Mihawk glanced back at Doflamingo uncertainly.

"Want to trade?" Doflamingo said finally.

"Alright."

Suddenly, Ritchie lunged for the attack, but the lion was met by a net of strings weaved by Doflamingo. As the lion struggled to free itself, Doflamingo jumped on its head and brought down a devastating kick to its skull.

Then, Cabaji dived in, yet Mihawk was there first. Mihawk brought in a fist that landed straight in Cabaji's stomach and knocked the acrobat to the ground.

"So you're my new dancing partner, then?" Cabaji said smugly.

"Yes." Mihawk cracked his knuckles. "And I'm not as nice as that other guy."

With the lion fastened up, Doflamingo went straight for Mohji. The beast tamer flicked his whip at Doflamingo, but another net of string blocked the blow.

Mohji growled. Doflamingo grinned.

* * *

Cabaji took off and ran to the rooftops, but Mihawk wasn't going let him get away. The teenager clambered on to the rooftops and gave chase, jumping across the slippery tiles.

Cabaji spun around 180 degrees on his unicycle and started to pedal backwards. At the same time, he was flinging throwing knives at his pursuer, yet Mihawk dodged them all. His eyes never once left the acrobat.

Even as he whirling across the rooftops at breakneck speed, Cabaji realised with dread that Mihawk was catching up. It was a thought that sent shivers down his spine. He really didn't want Mihawk to catch up to him.

Shouting with fury, Cabaji let loose with every trick he had. Spinning tops, shurikens, flash bombs and throwing knives were all barraged at Mihawk, yet nothing worked. The teenager just kept on coming, despite the wounds and the blood.

Suddenly, something glinted in Mihawk's eyes. Cabaji reacted too late, as instantly he realised that Mihawk had actually caught one of his throwing knives from mid-air. Mihawk flung his arm forward and threw the knife back at Cabaji.

His aim was perfect.

The blade punctured the tire on Cabaji's unicycle, and instantly the acrobat lost his balance and skidded across the rooftops. Mihawk was on him in less than a second, gripping Cabaji's scarf tightly before punching him repeatedly in the face. All of Cabaji's speed and tricks were useless as Mihawk just continued to pound him.

Finally, Cabaji managed to pull back, and Mihawk was left gripping his scarf while the acrobat darted away. With the last trick he had left, Cabaji threw an explosive down at the roof to keep Mihawk away, when suddenly the roof collapsed. Both of them fell down into the building below with a huge crack.

Cabaji recovered first. An acrobat always landed on his feet. They ended up inside the store, and Cabaji flourished his sword forward. He had no tricks left, no acrobatics, just two men trapped in a building and only one would walk out alive.

"Alright, you little runt!" Cabaji snarled. Mihawk had broken his nose, and all the arrogance was gone. "You want a piece of me? You should be begging for your life, brat!"

There was moment's silence, before suddenly there was a sound from the rubble. It was the sound of a blade being drawn. It was the scariest sound Cabaji had ever heard. With dread, Cabaji realised just what building they had both landed in.

"It's you that should beg." Mihawk replied softly. His voice was different, almost serene. "I've just found the weapons shop."

Mihawk stepped forward, his new blade in both hands. "Do you want to see what a real swordsman can do?"

* * *

The lion managed to untangle itself while Doflamingo was trading blows with Mohji. Suddenly, the lion charged at Doflamingo from behind. He nearly avoided the snapping teeth and claws, but while at the same time slashing with wires at the tamer. Mohji was bleeding now.

Richie turned and lunged again, and Doflamingo slammed into Mohji, using the tamer as a human shield. The lion was forced to stop suddenly, skidding across the street while Doflamingo continued to pound Mohji.

The tamer struck back with a heavy blow, yet Doflamingo just stayed up close and kept on punching. Mohji was used to fighting with a whip or with an animal, but at such a close range he was left useless. After a few blows, he collapsed on to the ground

Richie roared in fury, but this time there was nothing left to stop the lion. Doflamingo managed to wrap string around him to avoid those teeth, but still the lion hit him with a devastating paw and sent him flying.

Doflamingo shot through the air and went straight through a nearby wall, landing in a heap inside a building.

"Oohh…" He moaned weakly, trying to nurse his back as he stood up. Between the blood and the dirt, he was left a filthy mess. He was just standing up again, when he realised where he had landed.

The grin that split Doflamingo's face went from ear to ear.

Five minutes later, Mohji managed to pull himself back to consciousness. Richie was nuzzling at him obediently.

"What did that bastard do to you?" Mohji growled, seeing the cuts across Richie body.

At once, the tamer was on his feet, looking around for his enemy. "Hey don't think you can escape me!" He shouted angrily. "I will track you down no matter where you run!"

"Who's running?" Doflamingo snickered, walking out of the wreckage of the building, strolling with a bow-legged waddle arrogantly.

Mohji had to stop, dumbfounded, when he saw Doflamingo again. "Did you really just change clothes in the middle of a fight?"

Doflamingo grinned. Gone were the filthy, grey overalls; but instead he was wearing bright pink trousers and a white, open shirt, with his fluffy pink scarf over the top. Doflamingo opened his arms and showed off, as proud as a peacock.

"There's always time for fashion." He smirked, stopping to put on a pair of purple sunglasses.

Mohji stared, amazed by all the pink. Finally, he had to ask. "What's with that weird, waddling walk?"

"These pants are really tight." Doflamingo grimaced, pulling at the crotch of his trousers.

The beast tamer shook his head furiously. "I'm going to rip you apart." He snarled, the anger returning.

Doflamingo just laughed. "Are you kidding me?" He smirked. "When I look _this_ good, how could I ever lose?"

Richie charged. The lion was erupting at him, dropping down like an avalanche. This time, Doflamingo never moved. He just stayed perfectly still as those jaws came down on him.

Suddenly, Richie stopped. The huge lion was left suspended in mid-air by a net of invisible, unbreakable strings. As the beast tried to struggle, it just became even more entangled in the net.

"Richie!" Mohji screamed in panic. Doflamingo just laughed, before moving so fast he blurred. In the next second, he was above the lion and summersaulting into the air, and weaving the string around him. The threads wrapped around Richie, before becoming as tight as bowstring.

Doflamingo was catapult straight into the lion, his leg slamming into the beast at breakneck speed. The sound of cracking was painful. The next second, the lion went limp and was left suspended motionlessly.

Mohji's eyes widened in shock. "Richie…" He whispered weakly, the tears swelling in his eyes. Instantly, Doflamingo was standing over him, a grin on his face.

"Look at me very carefully." Doflamingo smirked. "My name is Doflamingo Donquixote. I'm that will be king. Remember the name."

Doflamingo winked at Mohji before he strolled away.

"This was a fun day!" Doflamingo shouted brightly. "God, I really love beating lots of people up. But still; you and your crew should get out-of-town. I don't think you would survive me having another fun day."

Mohji looked around at the ruined street, littered in the bodies of his men. The entire town had been hit by a bombshell. Two bombshells, actually.

"But why did you even do this?" Mohji called desperately. "Do you know who I answer to? Do you have any idea what we were doing here? Don't you know the trouble that my boss will bring down on you for this?"

Doflamingo waved as he walked away. "I don't care!" He replied cheerfully.

* * *

Mihawk flourished his sword, and suddenly he felt like a part of him was complete. He was a swordsman again.

Cabaji looked at him angrily. "So what?" The acrobat shouted. "You've got a blade, big deal! You're still half-dead! You still can't take me!"

"Big deal?" Mihawk muttered in a voice that was frighteningly quiet. "You're out of tricks, aren't you? No more bombs, knives or spinning tops. You've got no place to run, nowhere to hide. It's just me and you."

Mihawk's eyes glinted in the darkness. "I wonder; how long will you survive in a fair fight?"

Cabaji was trembling now. Those eyes were getting to him. Pushing all of his fear to one side, Cabaji screamed in fury and charged, bringing his blade down.

He barely even felt the cut, but suddenly Cabaji was on the floor and the blood was pouring from him. Mihawk was walking away.

"No," Mihawk muttered under his breath. "This fight was _never_ fair."

The acrobat was screaming in pain, while the blood just kept on pouring out of him. Mihawk looked down at him merciless.

"Be proud." Mihawk said darkly. "You have the honour of being cut by the man who will become the world's greatest swordsman."

Mihawk was nearly out the door when he heard Cabaji laughing weakly. Mihawk turned questioningly, and Cabaji had pulled off his coat, revealing an old scar across the other side of his chest. It was a scar that hadn't healed well.

"I've had that privilege once before." Cabaji gasped through chuckles, delirious with pain.

Mihawk said nothing as he closed the door and left.

* * *

In the town, things were becoming frantic as the townspeople started to come out of their hiding place and found all the pirates were knocked out and half the town was broken. Suddenly, every townsman had a weapon and they were rounding up and locking away whatever was left of the pirates.

Mihawk staggered to the docks, his previous determination was dying away and he wasn't really sure what to do. He had a sword now, but it wasn't _his_ sword. That sword had been taken from him, along with pride.

 _Roronoa Zoro_ , Mihawk vowed silently, looking at his new blade, _I'm coming for you_.

Doflamingo was sitting by the port, watching the chaos as the town underwent a sudden regime change. He grinned when he saw Mihawk staggering towards him.

"Yo!" He called cheerfully. "So you survived. And you've got a new sword. I call that a win."

Mihawk scoffed. "Tell me, what did you get out of this?"

Doflamingo shrugged. "Well, it was a good way to waste an afternoon." He grinned. "Plus, I helped myself to the pirate's treasury." He held up a large bag. It chunked heavily with coins. "Oh, and I got these awesome new clothes."

Mihawk rolled his eyes, before dropping to the floor next to Doflamingo. His entire body was beyond beaten up, and he was starting to feel hunger and pain again.

"So, you want to join my crew?" Doflamingo asked after a couple of seconds.

"Your crew?" Mihawk muttered sceptically. "How many of you are there?"

"Just me, currently. And you, if say yes." Doflamingo shrugged. "I'm sure we can find some more people somewhere."

"Huh; so you think that I'm just going to drop everything and join up with a stranger I've just met?"

"Well, you're strong and I'm looking for some interesting company." Doflamingo mused, "I haven't really thought about it past that, but I'll bet we can find something to do. So will you join my crew?"

"Why should I?"

"I've got a ship." Doflamingo motioned to his boat behind him. "You either join up with me or you're stranded in this godforsaken town."

A few seconds past. Mihawk took a deep breath, and then shrugged. "Alright then; might as well."

With that, Mihawk closed his eyes and just went to sleep.

Doflamingo laughed, and then returned to watching droves of unconscious pirates being dragged away by the townspeople. It was taking two dozen men to try to get Richie down from where he was suspended. After a couple of minutes, the old harbourmaster walked up to Doflamingo, a grim expression on his face.

"Oi kid," the old man said hoarsely. "Thank you. We've wanted those pirates out for years."

"Don't thank me, old man. I just beat up a couple of guys and then robbed your clothes store." Doflamingo grinned.

The harbourmaster snorted. "Even so, maybe things will get better now that those pirates are gone. We kicked them out of town once before, but they came back a few years later. This time, we're not going to give them the chance to return." He said darkly.

Doflamingo just laughed. "Good luck with that."

"Anyways, I heard that you're looking to get started as a pirate." The harbourmaster continued. "I heard that there's an organisation that specialises in new talent. If you want to get in to the Grand Line, there's one guy that you need to talk to."

The old man handed Doflamingo a business card before walking away. Doflamingo read the card and then frowned.

"What the hell is Baroque Works?" He muttered out loud.

* * *

_Meanwhile, in the Grand Line…_

A pirate hesitantly walked in a large chamber, staring up at a huge chair that dominated the room. The chair was taller than a giant, made of twisted steel and covered in spikes. Some of the greatest artisans in the world had slaved the throne for weeks, and afterwards they had all been executed so that none other would other reach the same glory. A lone figure lounged in the chair lazily, covered by the dark shadows of the room.

It was a throne fit for the pirate king; and it had been painted red and was covered in balloons.

Right now, the pirate was scared. He had the task of delivering bad news, and that was not a safe thing to do. This pirate was a veteran of the Grand Line. He had a bounty of 50 million. He had suffered through Impel Down and he had faced down the King of Hell before escaping in the Great Prison Break a decade ago, but nothing terrified him as much as approaching that throne.

The pirate knelt before the throne, trying to stop his body from trembling, while avoiding eye contact desperately. "Your Highness…" The pirate stammered. "I've just got off the Den Den Mushi… There's been a… incident at one of our bases in the East Blue."

He gulped as felt the killing intent, but the unlucky messenger forced himself to continue. "A group of rookies defeated Mohji and Cabaji. The villagers rose up and chased all of our men out of the town. The Marines have noticed us now, and we've lost our presence in the area…"

There was a slight scratching sound as his boss scraped the side of his chair in growing frustration. The pirate stammered and rapidly tried to make it better.

"But it's alright!" The pirate blurted nervously. "I mean, it's only the East Blue. It was filled with all of our scum. And Mohji and Cabaji were never really much. They were both just trash left over from the past; neither of them were up to Grand Line level." The pirate rubbed his head to try to make it seem like less of a big deal. "We only ever left them in that town to keep them out the way of the _real_ pirates!"

The messenger tried to laugh awkwardly. That was a mistake. A big one.

Suddenly, something blurred and the pirate was lifted off the ground, floating in the air. He gasped for breath while the life was choked out of him.

Buggy the Clown slowly leaned forward and watched his subordinate suffocate. The pirate's thrashing became more frantic, but it was just as useless.

"You are laughing…" Buggy muttered darkly. "Do you see something _funny_?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Doflamingo has his first crew member, and has just made his first mortal enemy! Plus, he's got some new clothes!
> 
> This concludes the first "arc" of the story, and is the first glimpse about how the One Piece world is different in this story. A lot has changed in the ten years, but there will still be a lot of familiar faces.
> 
> As always, any feedback, particularly constructive feedback, is welcome!
> 
> Next chapter: A wild Crocodile appears…


	5. Like A...

_3 months ago, on a snowy Grand Line island..._

They were grinning. Even as they continued to pound his body with bats, they just kept on grinning. The teenager was hung from the wall like a piece of meat, and felt the agony with every impact as his bones shook. Still, he refused to scream with pain.

"You are one stupid kid." One of the thugs said snidely, while washing the blood of his hands. The other thug just kept hitting their prisoner repeatedly.

"Did you really think that you could steal from the _Boss_ and get away?" He mocked, before picking up his bat again. The wooden bat was stained with blood. "Pain is the only thing the Boss will give you, moron."

The other thug laughed, dropping his bat for a bit and picking up a pair of brass knuckles. "Oh no…" The thug exclaimed sarcastically. "Haven't you heard? This guy is a freaking genius!"

He cracked his knuckles, sniggering at the prisoner, before continuing. "I mean, this _genius_ didn't just steal from the Boss once…" the thug mocked. "He founded an entire organisation that kept on stealing from the Syndicate. This guy smuggled all the Syndicate's contracts away, and tried to undercut our whole business!"

"What was your organisation called again?" The first thug hissed into the prisoner's ear. " _Barbeque Clerks_ or something like that?"

The prisoner's eyes darkened further, but the teenager never said anything.

The other thug was snickering louder now, spitting at the chained teenager. "And then, when he was finally confronted about it…" the thug taunted. "Do you how this smartass replied?"

Both of the thugs laughed, finishing the story. "" _I don't know, maybe you're just bad at accounting_ "!" They both quoted, before bursting into laughter.

One of them placed his bat right up against the teenager's forward, like a batter preparing for a pitch. "I mean, seriously, what did you expect?" he sniggered. "You stole from one of the _Eleven Supernovas_. What did you think would happen?"

The other thug was taken a sip of water before continuing with the torture. "Do you know this kid's problem?" He asked rhetorically. "He thinks he's too _smart_."

The first thug pulled his bat back, when suddenly there was the sound of a quiet chuckling. The teenager was handcuffed to the wall, he had been beaten bloody, but he still started laughing. The teenager had been stripped almost naked; he was hungry, starved and dehydrated. He was skinny and small, but still the prisoner was chuckling as if they had said something mildly amusing.

The thug with the bat growled. "Is there something funny here, _Crocodile_?"

Crocodile slowly raised his head, and he was smirking while glaring at his torturers. He stared at them as if they were just trained monkeys.

"You could beat my skull with a bat as much you'd like…" He whispered quietly through a hoarse voice. "But I will _always_ have more working brain cells than you buffoons."

The thug stared at him incredulously, before growling and swinging his bat straight at Crocodile's head. It collided with a heavy thud. Crocodile flinched, causing him to spit out a glob of blood.

The thug glared at the teenager, before dropping his bat and pulling out a knife. "You really don't know when to shut up, do you?" He said evilly.

Crocodile started chuckling again. "Oh, I'm just messing with you," he muttered. "After all, it's only good manners to humour those about to die."

The thug grabbed Crocodiles face and held his knife up to his eye. "About to die? Really?" The goon guffawed.

"Yes, and I'm when done with you, I'm going to walk right up that corridor." Crocodile motioned to the exit. "And then I turn left at the fork and I'm free to help myself to all those records of the Syndicate's illegal dealings. You dragged me into the Syndicate's _secret hideout_ after I was "captured". All I need to do is get a hold of those records and I'm set for life."

Crocodile's smirk was one of the most self-satisfied and merciless smirks on the planet. The thug tightened his grip, and brought the knife a few millimetres closer. The other thug was starting to look a bit worried. Perhaps he was the smarter of the two. It most certainly wasn't much of an achievement.

"You're not going anywhere!" The goon screamed. "You're chained to the wall, and we have all the weapons here! And those are seastone handcuffs too, so don't even try to use your powers!"

There was a moment's silence. Finally, Crocodile said slowly, as if speaking to a child, "You realise that I have prosthetic hook, right?"

As if to demonstrate it, Crocodile shook his handcuffed left arm, and his golden hook bounced weakly off the wall. Both of his hands were handcuffed to a rail above his head.

"Yeah, so?" The thug looked confused.

There was an awkward silence.

Crocodile rolled his eyes. "Keep thinking about it, _genius_."

Suddenly, there was a crash as Crocodile quickly unfastened his prosthetic, and the hook bounced off the ground. The next thing the thug realised, he was being hit in the face by a stump of an arm.

The other thug tried to run, but Crocodile was already free. He barely made it two steps before Crocodile dragged him by the scruff of his collar and pinned against the wall. The man tried to fight back, but the teenager, even with only one hand, was strong.

"The Boss will kill you for this!" The thug screamed desperately.

"The Boss?" Crocodile growled, gripping the man's throat and lifting him off the ground. The thug's eyes bulged and his face turned red as Crocodile tightened his grip. "Let me tell you something to take to the grave…"

The teenager's face twisted in anger, while the thug started to go limp. "… _I am the boss_!"

The man dropped to the ground like a doll. Crocodile rubbed his stump, while staring at the seastone handcuffs dangling from his right wrist. They didn't stop him moving, but it meant that he couldn't use his Devil fruit abilities. Still, there was no time to look for the key. He had to move quickly.

Crocodile was eager as he moved down the corridor. He had to stop his hand from twitching. He had a plan to defeat the Syndicate before, but had underestimated the Boss. Crocodile's short-lived organisation Baroque Works had been hunted down and all but destroyed.

Still, this time was different. All he needed to do was get those records; records containing nice juicy details about the Boss' illegal dealings. Once he sent those the records to the Marines, the business contracts would dry up and the Syndicate would be finished. After that, Crocodile could reform Baroque Works, and then _he_ would rule the criminal underworld…

Then, there was a chuckling from behind him. It was a sound that made Crocodile's blood run cold.

"You really are clever, aren't you?" A voice muttered drily. "You've always got a plan…"

 _No – this was impossible_ , Crocodile thought in pure shock. He recognised that voice, although he had never met the man himself before. He glimpsed around to see two figures waiting for him, one of them was short and stocky, and the other was tall and broad-shouldered. There was no doubt. It was the Boss, and his bodyguard. _Why was the Boss himself here?!_

Crocodile tried to run, but suddenly someone was behind him. Crocodile felt a large hand hit the back of his head, and force his body to the ground. His face hit the ground with force.

"Be more respectful to the Boss." A dull, emotionless voice warned. The large man was behind him, kneeling on Crocodile's back and pinning his body to the ground. Crocodile tried to struggle, but the bodyguard was to strong.

"Surprised to see me?" The Boss chuckled. His voice was rough, and almost disinterested. He took a puff of a large cigar. "I figured that the death of my favourite protégé deserved a personal appearance."

The bodyguard's iron grip tightened. He was stronger than anyone Crocodile had ever met. It felt like his bones were about to crack.

The Boss stood over Crocodile now, but the teenager's face was being pushed into the ground so hard that all he could see was the Boss' shoes. They were very shiny, expensive shoes. There was the sound of another puff of a cigar.

"You disappoint me." The Boss continued emotionlessly. "You were just a street kid when I found you. _I_ took you in. I gave you purpose. You were my protégé. And then you betray me."

Crocodile tried to squirm, but he was being held too tightly. Involuntarily, Crocodile screamed as the bodyguard's fingers dug sharply into his neck.

"You just have to be so clever, don't you?" The Boss muttered. "Always so clever, always so _ambitious_. That's what's going to get you killed."

There was a moment of silence. Crocodile's heart was beating like a drum, yet he couldn't move. His body was trembling with utter dread. _No_ , he thought weakly, _I can't die like this_ …

Eventually, the Boss seemed to reach a decision. He started to walk away slowly. "No." He said finally. "I'm not going to kill you. I'm going to make an _example_ out of you."

"Anybody who used to work for you is dead. I've burnt " _Baroque Works_ " to the ground. You are the last remaining agent of Baroque Works," he continued, his back turned. "And I'm going to let you live just as reminder what happens to those that cross me."

He paused, taking another puff of his cigar. "However, you will not leave here unscathed."

The Boss turned to the bodyguard. " _Mark_ him," he ordered.

The bodyguard nodded obediently. "Yes sir."

Crocodile tried to thrash. He screamed and he fought, but it was no good. He was helpless, and could only watch as the bodyguard turned him around, and extended his finger towards Crocodile's face.

"No!" Crocodile shrieked desperately "NO!"

It was useless; the man was too strong. Slowly, the bodyguard placed his finger on Crocodile's cheek and started to scrape. His nail was sharper than a dagger.

" _I will kill you for this!_ " Crocodile shouted; his eyes filled with panic. " _I will make you–_ "

Then the pain really started. Crocodile screamed in agony as he felt his face being cut open. The man worked slowly, starting at the edge of his face and cutting horizontally, over the bridge of Crocodile's nose and towards the other side of his face.

The agony was blinding. It overcame his senses until Crocodile could do nothing except scream soundlessly. The blood started to pool across the ground.

Vaguely, Crocodile could still hear a voice throughout the torture. It sounded distant.

"If you ever interfere with the Syndicate's business again, you will die." The Boss continued. He sounded bored. "If you ever enter the Grand Line again, you will die."

The bodyguard finally let go, but Crocodile was in too much agony to move. His face felt like it was on fire. He glimpsed the dark shadow of the Boss, standing over him.

"If I ever see your face again," the Boss promised coldly. "I will _skin_ you before I kill you."

The pain just kept on coming. Finally, he found his voice again, and Crocodile started to scream in an ear-piercing shriek as he held his bloody face.

The Boss and his bodyguard were already walking away.

"Find someone to stitch him up." The Boss muttered, almost absentmindedly. "He's making a mess of my corridor."

* * *

_Now, in the East Blue…_

Suddenly, Crocodile jumped awake, trying to escape from his nightmarish memories. He was sweating a cold sweat. Gingerly, he touched the scar across his face, feeling the rough skin where it had been stitched together.

Even after three months, the pain had never faded away.

Neither had the humiliation, or the fury.

The Boss had given him some medical treatment. After all, it wouldn't have been good if his "example" had died from blood loss or infection. Afterwards, Crocodile had been thrown on the nearest freighter and shipped out of the Grand Line. He had been told quite clearly that if he ever returned, the Boss would make a Crocodile-skin bag.

That was how he ended up in this godforsaken East Blue port town, trying to put his life back together.

His life had been ruined. His career was destroyed. Crocodile's organisation had been eradicated. He had no funds, no friends, and no future.

Slowly, Crocodile pulled himself out of bed and went to splash his face with water. He wiped disinfectant over his scar, and then poured himself a cup of tea.

Afterwards, he sat by the window of his cheap motel room, and gazed out to sea. He remembered that moment, and suddenly he had all the motivation he needed. Crocodile's mind started to whir.

And he started to develop a _plan_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Notes:
> 
> First appearance of Crocodile, and, boy, is he out for revenge...
> 
> Sorry there's no Mihawk or Doflamingo in this chapter. I figured that Crocodile is such an awesome character he deserves a chapter all for himself. I'll be sure to make it up to you in the next one.
> 
> I've also introduced the first Big Bad of the story; the shadowy Boss, and his criminal organisation, the Syndicate. Whoever manages to guess who the characters in this chapter are, who've been left deliberately unnamed, gets a free cookie.
> 
> (Disclaimer: cookies are imaginary)
> 
> Next time: Crocodile's plan begins…


	6. Unlucky

**The Warlords**

**Chapter 6: Unlucky**

Doflamingo slouched in his chair moodily looking at Mihawk. The bandaged teenager tried to ignore him as he just kept on doing one-handed push-ups.

"Five hundred and fifty-one." Mihawk grunted. He had been working out non-stop for nearly nine hours straight. "Five hundred and fifty-two. Five hundred and fifty- _three_ …"

Doflamingo sighed. "Are you seriously going spend the whole trip doing push-ups?" He muttered, exasperated with boredom.

"I need to get stronger." Mihawk growled through gritted teeth.

"I'm pretty sure that push-ups eventually become redundant." Doflamingo scratched his head. "I mean, you still look half dead."

Frowning, Mihawk touched the scar across his chest. Even through all the bandages, it still hurt. The pain was constant reminder of how weak he was. "Doesn't matter. There's a man that I need to kill."

"Roronoa Zoro." Doflamingo rolled his eyes. "You've mentioned him once or twice. I'm sure you'll meet up with him eventually."

Mihawk paused, finally stopping with the push-ups. He took a large swig of water. "Zoro is one of the Supernovas." He paused. "That means I can find him in the Grand Line. In the New World."

"Yep," Doflamingo nodded. "We've just got to figure _how_ to get into the Grand Line."

Mihawk scowled. "I thought you said that you came from the Grand Line," he accused. "You said that you ran away from Mariejois."

"Well, _sure_ , but that was years ago," Doflamingo complained. "I was a kid when I was smuggled out of the capital, I can't remember anything about it."

Mihawk pulled himself up, and scratched his head. That desire for revenge had never left him. "So we've got to a find a map for the Grand Line." He said moodily.

"And somebody that can read the map." Doflamingo added.

"And we'll need a bigger ship." Mihawk muttered, glancing around at the small cabin. The small dingy they were on, originally stolen from Vergo, only had one cabin. It was one of the reasons that Mihawk was so annoyed, since he had been forced to stay in the same, cramped room as Doflamingo.

Mihawk looked to the side and saw his sword lying against the wall. It was a decent blade, a two-handed sword made from strong steel and with a smooth edge. Still, it couldn't even compare to the Black Sword Yoru. His previous sword had been one of the finest in the world, passed down to Mihawk from his father; it was an unbreakable, incredibly sharp sword. And then it had been stolen by Roronoa Zoro.

The thought still caused Mihawk to clench his fists. Everything in Mihawk's path was just an inconvenience, another challenge that he had to push through before he could face the World's Greatest Swordsman again and reclaim what was his. His current, nameless, sword will have to be good enough, yet Mihawk would become stronger. _Roronoa Zoro_ , Mihawk vowed silently, _I'm coming for you_ …

"Alright, fine," Mihawk said finally. "How long until we reach the next harbour?"

Doflamingo simply shrugged in response. Mihawk felt himself getting annoyed.

"I thought you were meant to be steering this ship!" Mihawk snapped.

"I am!" Doflamingo protested, motioning to the dozen strings that were running from his fingers. He could control the entire ship from those strings, while sitting in the chair. He was "navigating" simply by occasionally looking out of the portholes in the cabin. "But do you see any maps around here?"

"So basically we're just sailing around randomly." Mihawk muttered with frustration.

"I wouldn't say that. We're sailing in a straight line," Doflamingo said brightly. "If you sail in a straight line then you are guaranteed to reach land _eventually_."

Mihawk simply grunted before returning to his work out. "How the hell will we ever reach the Grand Line like this?" He grumbled under his breath.

Doflamingo shrugged again, leaning back in his chair. "Don't be so glum." The teenager grinned. "Maybe we'll get lucky."

* * *

Crocodile sat on a ledge over the pier, watching the sunset while thinking hard. He had been left with almost nothing. No money, no ship, no power. He had no resources, no contacts, and no chance against the Syndicate by himself. Baroque Works had been all but abolished.

There was only one option. If Crocodile wanted his revenge, he needed _allies_. He needed to be smart and choose his associates carefully. If he planned it well and played his cards well, then Crocodile could get close enough to the Boss.

But Crocodile needed associates. He needed someone with something to prove, someone with nothing to lose, but someone who could be manipulated right into the Boss' path. He needed someone to act as distraction, someone who could get Crocodile into the Grand Line unnoticed, just so that Crocodile could get close enough to the Boss to slit the bastard's throat…

He needed someone strong enough to survive for a while, but not so dangerous that they could threaten Crocodile himself. He needed someone dumb enough to be _played_.

He needed someone completely and utterly expendable.

Crocodile sat there for a while, watching out over the harbour, and eventually he noticed a small ship being amateurishly steered into port. It was tiny little boat, totally unsuited for sailing rough seas.

Finally, the boat docked and two figures strolled out. One of them was dressed in flamboyant pink, the other was covered in bandages, but they were both arguing viciously.

Crocodile stayed out of sight, carefully listening to what they were saying. Slowly, a sly grin passed over Crocodile's face.

 _Today is my lucky day_ , Crocodile thought evilly. He had just found his schmucks.

* * *

"Ok." Doflamingo said finally, stepping out onto the docks of the small port town. " _You_ go find a ship, I'll go find a map."

Mihawk frowned. "Where the hell I am supposed to just "find" a ship?"

"Maybe they have a ship store?"

The swordsman rolled his eyes and just started to walk away.

"Oi! Meet back here by nightfall!" Doflamingo called. "And don't get lost!"

Mihawk glanced around the small town. It was tiny place, built into a natural harbour surrounded by cliffs. "What sort of swordsman would ever get lost in a place like this?" He grumbled under his breath.

Doflamingo watched his crewmate walk away, while he surveyed the town critically. He glanced down at the card the old harbourmaster had given him. "Hmmm… Baroque Works…" He mumbled to himself.

"Well, I've got to start somewhere." He decided finally. "Let's see, where's the nearest tavern?"

Just as he started to walk into the town, he glanced up at the sign creaking over the pier.

""Welcome to Gloom Town"," He read aloud, before smirking and walking away. "Well, that's ominous."

* * *

Crocodile watched Doflamingo walk into town. Quickly and discreetly, Crocodile jumped from his watching place and started to move forward.

Crocodile was small and lean, dressed in dirty clothes and he looked a lot younger than he was. Nobody gave him a second glance as he darted down the street.

Gloom Town was built surrounded by high cliffs. Crocodile had been hiding here for a couple of months, taking refuge in the most out of the way place he could find. Gloom Town had only one main street, so it was a pretty safe bet which direction Doflamingo would go.

Five minutes later, Crocodile walked into the tavern. He quickly went to the barman and put a couple of coins on the counter.

The barman glanced at him, while cleaning a mug. "What can I get you, son?"

Suddenly, Crocodile was all business.

"Today, some men will come in asking about this symbol." Crocodile held out a card with a Baroque Works symbol on it. "Anybody who asks, I want you to do direct them to this address." Crocodile scrabbled some directions on a beermat. "And act secretive about it."

The barman frowned. "Why should I?"

The teenager slammed a few more coins on to the table. "For each person that arrives, I'll be back and pay you double." He lied.

Crocodile turned and left. He had a lot to do and very little time. The secret to any good con was preparation.

* * *

Doflamingo trotted through the town. This place was making him uneasy. It was harbour town and it should have been heaving at the docks, but the town seemed unnaturally quiet. He glimpsed other people, but no one made eye contact. It seemed like everyone was avoiding him.

He had only been in this place for a few minutes, but already it was obvious that something was wrong here.

Finally, Doflamingo glimpsed the wooden sign that was the universal logo of a tavern. This tavern had a carving of a black cat adorning the entrance.

The pirate entered brashly. The tavern was as quiet as everywhere else, with only a handful of patrons sitting in stalls. Doflamingo felt the eyeless gaze of a dozen people on him as he sat down at the bar.

"What'll it be?" The barman asked. He was a slender man, currently counting a handful of coins discreetly.

Doflamingo had wanted to get a drink, but this whole town was putting him on edge. Still, there was information he needed. He pulled the Baroque Works card out of his pocket.

"Do you know anything about this?" He asked, showing the barman the symbol. Publicans everywhere were the number one source of gossip and information.

An unreadable expression flashed across the barman's face. He glanced around secretively.

"Who's asking?"

"Oh, just a tourist." Doflamingo replied with a grin.

The publican lowered his voice, and pushed a beermat with an address on it over to the pirate. "Go to this address. Tell him who sent you."

Doflamingo almost missed the smirk that passed across the barman's face, just before he returned to counting his coins.

* * *

Preparation and presentation. That was what was important. Suddenly, after so many months of brooding and doing nothing, Crocodile was back in his element.

Crocodile was only eighteen years old, but in terms of cynicism and world-weariness he was at least eighty. Even the name, "Crocodile" was a moniker; one which match his view on the world perfectly. It was either kill or be killed; the world was nothing but a jungle, and he was the crocodile.

Right now, he had prey to stalk. Crocodile pulled off his dirty rag and through them to the ground. He poured ointment over the grizzly scar across his face, and he polished his hook to perfection. Like a knight preparing himself for battle, he greased down his hair perfectly, and then selected a thick, heavy overcoat from his cupboard.

Suddenly, he changed. He turned from the boy that had been hunted across the world, and suddenly he was a man in complete control of his life.

 _I am the boss_ , Crocodile thought smugly. No matter what, he was the boss. There was a list of people who would need to learn that.

With a smirk as he considered his plan, Crocodile put his boots up on the desk and leaned back, waiting patiently. He was expecting company.

* * *

Doflamingo looked at the door critically. He wasn't used to this. It was so much easier for him when there were people to beat up. Instead, trying to be all _civilised_ just made him feel awkward.

The cottage squatted at the very back of Gloom Town, so far out the way that most people would never even realise it was there. It was dirty, cramped and smelly. Still, on the entrance the Baroque Works symbol had been carved into the wood, even if it was half hidden under a layer of dirt.

With a sigh, Doflamingo knocked on the door slowly. This town was sucking up all his energy, and he was in a miserable mood.

"Enter." The voice was dull, disinterested, yet authoritative.

Doflamingo pushed the door open with a large creaking. He entered a small room, so old and dirty that wallpaper was peeling off the walls. It was stuffy and damp, and suddenly reminded Doflamingo of a lair. The room was tight, and it had been nearly completely filled with a large desk.

There was a figure at the desk, and unlike his surroundings he was perfectly groomed. He was a lean and young, but he had an aura of someone much older. There was a humourless and dangerous glint in his eyes. He wore a thick, heavy, fur overcoat over a dark suit, his hair was perfectly greased backwards and he had a huge scar across his face, crossing the bridge of his nose.

The man didn't even look up as Doflamingo entered. Doflamingo was forced to stand awkwardly; there was no place for him to sit.

"So, _this_ is Baroque Works?" Doflamingo mused with a smirk, looking around at the hovel.

Finally, the man glanced upwards. He was still a teenager, but he gave the most condescending frown that Doflamigo had ever seen. It was like a predator sizing up a particularly suicidal prey.

"In this industry, it doesn't do to advertise." The man said finally, looking at Doflamingo with vague disinterest. "Are you a pirate?"

"Aye."

He bent over and slammed a pile of heavy papers on to his desk. "Pick out your bounty." He ordered.

Doflamingo was getting even more annoyed. "Well, I doubt actually a bounty, per se…" He grumbled. That was true enough; admittedly there were dozens of World Nobles that wanted Doflamingo dead very badly, but he had never had anything so official as bounty.

"Then you are not a pirate." The man said dismissively, already turning back to his paperwork. "Get out."

"Hey! I've only been a pirate for a couple of days, give me a break!" Doflamingo grumbled. "I need to get into the Grand Line, and _then_ I'll get my bounty. I heard that you could help me with that."

There was a pause. "The Grand Line is not a place for the faint of heart. The weak will not survive there for very long."

"Then it's a good thing there's no weakness here." Doflamingo retorted smugly.

The man chortled humourlessly. "I've had my fill of rookies with more ego than sense. There have been dozens like you, and they've all ended up shallow graves."

Doflamingo's grin widened, as leant over the desk. "Trust me; you've never met anyone like me."

There was another disinterested glare, but secretly Crocodile was eager. So far, Doflamingo was proving himself to be the perfect pawn; self-obsessed, predictable, and easily manipulated.

"What's your name?" He asked finally.

"Donquixote Doflamingo."

That made Crocodile pause. He recognised the Donquixote name, and he hadn't been expecting it. _Interesting…_ He mused.

"And who the hell are you?" Doflamingo grinned.

"You may call me Crocodile."

"Crocodile, seriously?" Doflamingo smirked.

"Yes." He said darkly.

"Well, _Crocodile_ , the only reason that I'm here is because I was told that you could help me get into the Grand Line," he said arrogantly. "So what is that you actually do?"

"Baroque Works is a company catering to a very _specific_ clientele." Crocodile retorted, leaning back in his chair. Somehow, even when Doflamingo was standing over him, Crocodile still managed to look down on him. "And I am a _businessman_."

"A businessman, that's what you're calling it?"

"A discrete businessman." Crocodile replied smoothly, his frown deepening. Inside, Crocodile was completely happy with Doflamingo leading the conversation. A con was always more convincing if the mark thought he was in control. "Baroque Works specialises in moving objects from one location to another. I simply oversee the transition."

"What sorts of objects?"

" _Any_ sort of object."

"Ok, so if I wanted to move myself, and my crew, from here to the Grand Line, then you could make that happen?" Doflamingo pressed.

Crocodile scoffed. "Baroque Works does not work for amateurs. Ours is an international corporation. We have offices in every sea, in every port," Crocodile muttered condescendingly. "If you want to get to the Grand Line so badly, then simply sail south. If you excuse me, I have work to do."

"I need a map," Doflamingo insisted. "If you're as connected as you claim, surely you'd be able to sell me a map."

"There are no maps," Crocodile countered. "The Grand Line is a warzone; it the location where the battle between the Golden Age of Piracy and World Government is still raging strong. The Marines do not take kindly to any new contenders arriving entering the scene."

Crocodile leaned back smugly. "Even if you had a map, you would not make it to the Grand Line. You need experience, you need contacts, and you need allies. _That_ is why Baroque Works is still in business; we are the only ones capable of offering a very prestige service, for the right customer."

The lies rolled off Crocodile's tongue easily. They were mixed in with truth, and he said them with a practiced ease. Crocodile could see it working; his prey was hooked, and didn't even realise it.

Doflamingo smirked and leaned backwards. "Alright, so it's a matter of money. How much would it take?"

Crocodile shrugged. "That depends. Do you have a suitable ship?"

"No."

"Do you have a navigator?"

"No."

"And naturally you don't have any of the other supplies." Crocodile muttered. "Baroque Works offers a very bespoke service; we can supply everything; the ship, the supplies, the navigator. We would send an agent with you to oversee the transaction and ensure the safe journey. Our contacts will see you safely past the Marine blockade, and our services can kick-start a very… profitable career in piracy."

"So how much would it cost?" Doflamingo growled. For once, his smile had completely disappeared.

Crocodile smirked. "A hundred million Beli."

Doflamingo rolled his eyes. "I can't afford that."

"Then we have nothing left to discuss. Please close the door on your way out."

 _Oh, but you won't_ , Crocodile thought smugly. Even as he broke eye contact, he knew that Doflamingo wouldn't just leave it at that.

And he was proved right when Doflamingo slammed his hand on to the desk. Crocodile had to suppress his smirk.

"I've got to get to the Grand Line." Doflamingo said firmly.

"Then sail south," Crocodile said firmly, completely undeterred. "And _paddle_ through the Calm Belt."

Doflamingo growled darkly. This wasn't a problem he could solve with violence, and he wasn't happy with that. He crossed his arms stubbornly, trying to think of a compelling argument.

"I'm not leaving here until you agree to take me to the Grand Line." He said finally.

Crocodile leant back in his chair, forcing himself hold in his self-satisfied smirk. "Well, if it means that much to you, then _perhaps_ we could come to some… mutually beneficial arrangement."

"What do you propose?"

"Simple. Baroque Works will provide the transport. We will oversee delivery to the Grand Line. In return, you have supply a service for us."

"What?"

Crocodile's smirk widened. "You have to kill a certain man."

* * *

Two hours later, Doflamingo staggered out from the apartment. He broodily walking through the suspiciously quiet town, just as the sun was about to set. He hesitated just as he about to walk back to his ship, before turning around and walking towards the tavern.

He had a lot to think about, and he really needed a drink.

It seemed like Doflamingo had just been recruited as a hit-man. Apparently, one of Baroque Works' subordinates had gone rogue and betrayed the corporation in the Grand Line. Crocodile wanted someone to simply kill him.

Now, normally Doflamingo had absolutely no problem spilling a little blood. But still, the thought of killing a man he had never even met was enough to make him pause. Then again, he really needed a ship and Crocodile was offering one.

As Doflamingo walked towards the tavern, he began to notice movement around him. The shadows were lengthening as the sun set over the horizon, and suddenly all of the townspeople were locking up their houses. Every house and store had bars on the windows, and quickly it seemed like everyone was locking up tightly. Within minutes, the street was left completely deserted, and a feeling of uneasy apprehension fell across Doflamingo.

Thinking back, Doflamingo recalled the last question he had asked Crocodile before leaving.

"Ok, but tell me something," He had demanded. Doflamingo had been standing at the door, ready to leave. "What the hell is up with this town?"

Crocodile had simply smirked. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

That had been the most blatant lie he had said all day.

Doflamingo glimpsed the tavern. It seemed to still be open, but it was locked down tight like the rest of the town. For the first time, Doflamingo noticed the name of the tavern: " _The Black Cat_ ".

As he entered, a dozen eyes looked at him with suspicion, but no one made a sound. The barman was still behind the counter, and glanced at Doflamingo coolly as he sat down on a barstool.

"Give me a drink," Doflamingo demanded. "I'm overdue one."

Wordlessly, the barman pulled out a bottle of rum and poured it in to a small glass. It was cheap stuff, but Doflamingo didn't care.

Two glasses later, Doflamingo was feeling a lot better about the situation. Outside, it was quickly getting dark, and the mood inside the tavern was getting sombre.

Finally, Doflamingo had to ask. "Ok, so what the hell is wrong with this town?"

The barman shifted uncomfortably. "I doubt know what you mean." He feigned.

"This place is more miserable than anyway I've ever seen. You've got bars on every window, all the houses are locked up tight, and no one has made any eye contact with me for hours. What the hell is going on here?"

The barman paused. "Outside the harbour, there is a Marine base," he said finally. "A bad one. It is ruled by a captain Nezumi, a man with no tolerance for any unruly behaviour. He keeps this town in constant lockdown; and no one dares cross him."

"Marines? I haven't seen marines in this town."

The barman shook his head. "Their base is outside the harbour; they rarely come in to town. If anyone makes trouble, they simply barricade the port and pull out the heavy cannons."

"So why is everyone so afraid?"

The barman's face darkened. "Because there is a reason why the marines don't dare enter this town. There have been… incidents."

Doflamingo paused. "What sort of incidents?"

"Bad ones. After sunset, anybody who walks the street simply… disappears. Men have been known to vanish without a trace." The barman whispered conspiratorially. "Some call this place the "Unluckiest Town in the East Blue"."

Doflamingo didn't respond. The barman continued in a hushed voice. "But it's not just bad luck. The truth is… there's a _monster_ stalking the night."

"… A monster?"

The barman nodded, secretively continuing. "Yes. No one's seen it, but we've heard its growls from outside and seen its tracks. It is a beast as large as a horse, but much more deadly. It hunts by night, and it'll creep up on you by cover of darkness. You can't outrun it; you'll never even see it coming. It is a beast from hell itself."

The barman paused darkly. The mood was stuffy and miserable. There were other people in the tavern, but no one was talking.

"Best thing to do," the bartender warned. "Just stay inside from dusk till dawn. It's not safe to walk out alone in this town."

Doflamingo nodded. He thought about it for a second, and then took another drink. Then he started to chuckling hysterically. Suddenly, this town didn't seem like a total bore.

"Wow," he gasped through heavy chortles. "This really _is_ the unluckiest town in the East Blue."

The barman frowned but didn't say anything. Doflamingo's grin widened.

"You see, right now, a friend of mine is outside and alone," Doflamingo explained with an arrogant smirk. "And trust me; the monster really doesn't want to bump into _him_."

* * *

_On the other side of town, towards the docks…_

As silent as fog on a moonless night, the monster crept across the rooftops. It never made a sound even as jumped from building to building. The hunt was on, and it was hungry.

Its prey was walking fearlessly through the dark streets and winding alleys. This was the beast's hunting zone, and it kept pace effortlessly from its vantage point. The target was completely oblivious, and appeared to be walking around in circles.

The monster followed its target almost curiously, like a cat playing with a mouse. Finally, it grew weary of stalking, and as saliva dripped from its mouth, its claws unsheathed and it knew there would be blood tonight.

As fast as a bolt of lightning, but unnaturally silent, the beast lunged. It covered fifty feet in the blink of an eye, and brought up claws as sharp as knives towards the target's unprotected back…

Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, Mihawk drew his sword, flipped around and parried the beast's claws. He was in an extremely bad mood; he'd been walking around this town all day and, although he'd never admit, he was slightly lost.

" _What the hell do you think you're doing?_ " Mihawk growled, baring his teeth at the unlucky beast that had just crossed his path.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mystery! Intrigue! Please let me know how I did with this chapter – some of the parts took ages to get right.
> 
> I really like the conversation between Doflamingo and Crocodile; that was one of my favourite parts so far. Crocodile was totally conning Doflamingo. Word of advice: don't trust anything that comes out of Crocodile's mouth.
> 
> Next chapter: Just what is the monster of Gloom Town? What happened to Mihawk? The plot thickens, and Doflamingo gets violent.


	7. Mihawk, Lost

Doflamingo was in a bad mood.

That was the best way to describe his time at Gloom Town. The people were horrible, the rum was weak, everything was miserable and, worst of all, it had been over twenty four hours since he had been in a good fight. It had not been a good night.

He had tried to spend the night getting drunk and throwing a party, but the tavern was as bad as the rest of the town and no one else wanted join in his makeshift celebration. The weather was horrible, and worst of all, Mihawk was missing.

His first and only crewmember had disappeared. Doflamingo had spent the morning searching for him, but nobody was willing to talk to him and there was no trace of the swordsman. He was miserable and sick of it, but there was no way in hell that Doflamingo was willing to lose 50% of his crew on his first day.

Right now, Doflamingo was faced with a secretive conspiracy, some sort of terrible monster, a shadowy organisation, and a missing friend.

It took him a few hours, but finally Doflamingo settled on the only solution; he was obviously going to have to beat lots of people up.

Admittedly, it wasn't the most subtle approach. Still, when all you had was a hammer, suddenly everything else started to look like nails.

All he needed to do now was find out _who_ he needed to beat up. That question annoyed him for a while, before finally Doflamingo just decided to take a guess at it. Surely, pure probability dictated that he would find the right person eventually.

A polished black shoe collided with the Baroque Works symbol with force. The door to Crocodile's den burst open, the weak wood splitting into pieces as the hinges were ripped straight off.

Crocodile was sitting at his desk. He didn't look like he had moved at all from yesterday. He didn't even flinch as his door exploded and Doflamingo strutted inside. Crocodile and Doflamingo locked eyes.

"… Can I help you?" Crocodile asked finally, the sarcasm thick in his voice.

"I'm looking for my crewmate," Doflamingo said with a dangerous grin. "He's about this tall; dark hair, lots of bandages, murderous intent, short temper and fondness for sharp blades. Do you want to tell me where he is or should I just start by beating the crap out of you first?"

Crocodile's eyebrow twitched slightly. "And you think I abducted him?"

Doflamingo shrugged. "I honestly don't have a clue. But I believe that excessive violence can solve any problem if you just use enough of it. So, should I start the beating now?"

Crocodile discreetly raised his hook on to the desk. The golden, sharp spike glinted dangerously. It was so large it was more like a heavy gauntlet than a prosthetic limb.

"It is difficult to express in words how little I care about your pathetic crew." Crocodile said slowly, emphasising every syllable as if talking to an infant. "I'm a businessman; I have much more important things to do than abduct your precious little crew member."

Doflamingo grinned. "Well then, you can help me find him in that case."

Crocodile scoffed. "Did you miss the part where I just don't care enough?"

Doflamingo moved in a flash. Suddenly, his foot collided with the wall inches away from Crocodile's face, throwing up pieces of plaster. Doflamigo was looking down on Crocodile, and he flicked his fingers so quickly that whips of string flicked from his fingers and shredded the papers on Crocodile's desk.

To his credit, Crocodile didn't flinch, but there was still a flicker in his eye.

" _Trust_ me," Doflamingo warned. "I can _make_ you care enough."

There was a sound of a gun being cocked. With his other hand, Crocodile had a flintlock aimed squarely at Doflamingo's crotch.

"And how much do you care?" Crocodile said quietly.

Doflamingo laughed. "Looks like we have a standoff. The choice is yours; you either help me find my crewmate; otherwise you take your shot, I get pissed off, and then I slam you face first through the ceiling."

The moment stretched out uncomfortably long, while Crocodile seemed to think about it. After twenty seconds of deliberation, there was a clunk as he dropped the flintlock.

"Alright," he said finally. "Where do we start?"

* * *

With a sudden impact, the door to the tavern exploded in a shower of splinters, and two figures walked into the startled bar.

"Do you have to do that _every_ time?" Crocodile muttered, shaking his head.

"But it makes a better entrance!" Doflamingo protested. "Besides, they should be thanking me. The carpentry in this place is awful."

The bartender was staring at the intruders incredulously. His hand automatically went to the rifle behind the bar.

Doflamingo was faster. In a second, string was wrapped around the bartender's arm, holding him in place while Doflamingo slammed his fist into the barman's face.

With a crash, the publican was sent flying into the other side of the tavern. Around them, the other patrons were quickly evacuating.

Crocodile sighed. He really hated unnecessary violence (though he was a huge fan of the necessary type).

"Really?" Crocodile muttered with despair. "What was _that_ for?"

"It's been too long since I've hurt someone," Doflamingo explained with a frown. "I get _cranky_."

The barman was looking at Doflamingo with shock and fear. "What is wrong with you?" He demanded.

"My friend was abducted last night," Doflamingo said with a grin. "I want you to tell me where he is."

"But I was in here all last night!" The bartender protested. "I was with _you_!"

"Yes, but you're the only person in this town that I know," Doflamingo reasoned. "So you're the first person I need to beat up. If you can't help, then I've got to go meet new people."

The barman was pale now. Doflamingo was towering over him, intimidatingly. "I want you to tell me everything," he said slowly. "I don't believe that you can live in this town and know as little as you do. I want to know where my friend is, and the longer it'll take, the _crankier_ I'll become."

The bartender shook his head. "You can't hurt me," he protested. "If you make a scene in this town, the Marines will come down on you like a ton of bricks. Captain Nezumi will hear about it; he'll seal off the harbour and you'll never get out alive."

Doflamingo was just about to do something violent, when Crocodile coughed from behind him. "I wonder; do you actually have a brain in your head, or is it hollow?"

Doflamingo paused. Crocodile was talking to him. "Do you have a better idea?"

Crocodile rolled his eyes. "Perhaps a more subtle approach is needed?"

Doflamingo watched with bemusement as Crocodile walked over to the bar, and slowly picked up the ledger under the counter. With almost delicate care, Crocodile opened up the book and started to flick through the pages. It was filled with rows of numbers. Both the bartender and Doflamingo watched him with confusion.

"You keep very detailed records," Crocodile praised after five minutes of silence. "You are a very good accountant."

"Umm… thank you?" The barman was uncertain.

"Hmm. You are the sole proprietor of this establishment, yes?"

The bartender nodded slowly. Crocodile flicked over a page. "Oh, it seems like you've invested a very large amount of time and money into your company."

Barman was looking even more scared now. Crocodile's voice had a sadistic edge to it. It was the voice of someone taking great pleasure in imagining how he was going to torture you.

"Yes… You are a very good accountant," Crocodile said finally. "But unfortunately it seems like you've missed a couple of figures in your tax declarations."

The publican's eyes widened. Crocodile continued, almost conversationally. "Look here, these numbers just don't add up." He pointed to a row in the ledger. "It seems like you've misreported the profit you're making."

With painful care, Crocodile drew out a pencil and started to make corrections. The publican was panicking now. "Oh no, it seems like the tax you're paying has been underestimated." He turned another page. " _Severely_ underestimated."

Crocodile turned on to the man with a predatory smile. "I can only _imagine_ the uproar if the Revenue offices were to receive these ledgers, with all the discrepancies highlighted. It would be such a shame if this entire tavern were to be confiscated by the Government due to your poor numeracy."

The publican was now so pale he looked like he had seen a ghost. Doflamingo was watching with faint admiration.

" _That's not funny_ ," the publican said in a quiet voice.

"Oh, believe me, I'm not laughing," Crocodile lied, turning back to ledgers. He circled another number with his pencil. "Oh no, it appears like some of the purchases you've made are equally… _dubious_. Did you know that Customs fraud is actually a form of a piracy? If this was discovered, it might actually result in time in Impel Down…"

The barman stiffened. "Alright. I'll tell you everything," he blurted quickly. "Just please, for the love of God, put the pencil down!"

Crocodile smirked, carefully keeping a hold of the ledger. "Tell me about this "monster". Where is it?"

The bartender shook his head. "Nobody knows."

Crocodile raised an eyebrow, and opened up the ledger again. The publican caved quickly. "There are caves on the north-east edge of the town! Everyone avoids them, but there have been… disturbances around that area."

"Explain."

"People don't like talking about the monster. People who investigate tend to disappear. There are strange men around the north-east edge of the town, and they… use the monster to keep people away," the publican said in a hushed voice.

"Who?"

The publican hesitated. He was scared. "There are men who worship the monster. They _feed_ it. Nobody knows why or who they are, but anybody who talks about it just… disappears."

The man was trembling now. " _This is a bad town_ ," he whispered, wide-eyed. "The Marines keep us on a tight leash, and these men… they're disturbed individuals… They brought the monster here; they feed it, just to keep the Marines out of the town…"

Crocodile nodded. He stood up with a smirk, and straightened up his suit.

"Thank you for your cooperation," Crocodile said finally, before calming walking out of the town, carrying the ledger with him. The bartender looked ready to kill himself.

Doflamingo watched in silence, before he burst out laughing and following Crocodile out the door.

* * *

_Meanwhile …_

Mihawk groaned as he came back into consciousness. He had been stripped and chained onto a stone wall. Everything was dark, and his head still throbbed from where his attacker blindsided him.

Slowly, as his eyes adjusted, he started to make out details. He was in a cave; it was dark and damp. He was standing in three inches of water, but his arms were held tightly behind him by rusty chains. His sword was nowhere to be seen, and that made him angrier than anything.

He grunted as he tried to break free. The chains rattled but where held tightly. There was a chuckle from in the darkness.

"Looks like our guest is awake…" A snickering voice came from in the darkness.

Mihawk just grunted again, and tried harder to break his chains. The metal rang in the dark.

"A fidgety little one, isn't here Buchi?" Another voice called out. There were splashes of footsteps approaching Mihawk.

"Aye, Sham. Skinny, little thing, though. Barely bigger than a morsel."

As they got closer, his two captors came into sight. One was an overweight man with a black and white cat outfit, wearing a hat covering one eye, with cat ears on it. The other was skinny and hunched back, wearing a navy blue shirt with grey buttons, also with cat ears. They were both distinctly feline, and smirking at him.

Mihawk kept on trying to force the chains. His captors kept on sniggering, pointing at him like he was a piece of meat.

"This one's got lots of injuries mind," Sham commented, inspecting Mihawk's scars critically. "What did you cut yourself shaving or something?"

"The little runt tried to put up a fight as well," Buchi complained. "Stupid kid."

Mihawk bit his lip, ignoring the pain. His feet pushed against up the wall, trying to break free.

"Oi!" Sham warned, watching him with vague amusement. "Don't kill yourself now. That comes later. We've got something planned for you."

With a wordless scream of determination, Mihawk redoubled his efforts. His muscles strained with pain. His bones ached from the effort. The chains rattled. He didn't care about the pain, he just kept on pushing.

 _Either the chains break or my arms will_ , Mihawk promised himself, _but either way, I'm getting free_.

"Are you deaf or just stupid, _boy_?" Buchi mocked. There were metal claws attached to his fingers, which he scraped against Mihawk's throat. "We've _got_ you now. You're nothing more than a pigeon in the claws of a cat. We could kill you at our _pleasure_."

Mihawk let out a final scream of exertion. His body ached, and his heart was pounding, but there was no way in hell he was giving up. Finally, he felt the chains buckle, and then the next second the rusty links were breaking apart.

Both Buchi and Sham looked shocked. Mihawk's expression was murderous. The full force of his unblinking, unwavering gaze focused on the unlucky pair.

"A pigeon?" Mihawk snarled, nursing his bloodied wrists. "Oh, you've got the wrong _bird_ there."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has got to be one of my favourite chapters, mind. Doflamingo and Crocodile have a brilliant partnership – I could honestly write an entire buddy-cop story focused solely on them arguing. 
> 
> This chapter is slightly shorter than usual, but it definitely deserves to be on its own.
> 
> Next time: An extra-large chapter concluding the Gloom Town Arc! Action and plot twists abound.
> 
> The title of that chapter is called "The Liars"; let's see if that gives you a hint…


	8. The Liars, Part 1

Doflamingo was laughing for the next five minutes, nonstop. Crocodile was growing increasingly irritated.

"Do you ever stop smiling?" Crocodile sighed.

"Ha! Can't help it," Doflamingo chuckled. "Interrogation by accounting! That's brilliant. Where the hell did you learn to do that?"

"I told you…" Crocodile muttered. "I'm a _businessman_."

They reached a crossroads. Crocodile turned left, Doflamingo stared.

"Hey! Where you going?" Doflamingo called, pointing in the other direction. "North-east is _that_ way."

Crocodile looked at him like he was a moron. "I have things to do. Feel free to go on by yourself."

The pirate frowned. "I thought we agreed; you're helping me find Mihawk. Do we have to go back to the whole "beating you up" argument?"

The "businessman" rolled his eyes. "Are you really going to search for him in broad daylight? Whoever's holed up in those caves will see you coming a mile away."

"So what do you suggest?"

"Simple: face them after nightfall," Crocodile argued. "They operate at night; so we can catch them in the act. If we go at day, there's no guarantee that they'll show up, and then we'll lose the advantage."

"But what about Mihawk?"

Crocodile shrugged. "What about him? If he's still alive, then he can wait another few hours."

Doflamingo scratched his head. "I don't know– it seems a bit heartless…"

"Well, how were _you_ planning on finding him?" Crocodile asked sarcastically.

"I'm not sure; I was really just planning on following the screaming," he admitted. "Honestly, I'm a bit confused why no one's screaming yet."

Crocodile was already walking away. "Meet at the edge of the village at dusk. I have business to attend to."

"Hey!" Doflamingo called. "What the hell am I supposed to do all day?"

"There's a fashion shop on the boardwalk by the pier," Crocodile called, not even turning around. "I'm told that they have a very large selection of _pink_."

Doflamingo paused. On one hand, his friend might be in mortal danger. On the other hand, Crocodile made a good argument, and he did only have one outfit. He could really use a spare.

"Well, I suppose I _could_ waste a couple of hours…"

* * *

The sun was just setting by the Doflamingo trotted back to the north-east edge of Gloom Town. His heads were deep in his pockets as he stomped miserably, until he could see the cliffs that surrounded the town.

Crocodile was already waiting for him. Crocodile looked the same as always; impassive, faintly smug, but there was a hint of impatience in his eyes. Doflamingo growled at the man angrily.

"You!" He accused. "I spent hours searching for that shop you mentioned! It was a fisherman's store! It was filled with _grey_ overalls!"

Crocodile simply raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"I _hate_ grey overalls!" Doflamingo growled.

"My mistake," he lied with a shrug. "Now be quiet, or do you want to warn them that we're here?"

Doflamingo gritted his teeth, trying to suppress the urge to beat Crocodile up. It was difficult.

Without another word, Crocodile was already moving. The sun was setting quickly, and it wasn't long before night darkness crept over their surroundings. From the town, Doflamingo heard the distinctive thuds as the shutters were slammed shut and the doors were bolted.

The moon rose into the sky as they walked on; the cliffs were deceptively far away from the town. The moon was large and bulbous, and the moonlight highlighted their surrounding ominously. Doflamingo felt his primal instincts tingle under the full moon.

The outskirts of the town were boggy and murky; a swampland leading up to the faint outline of the caves. For all Crocodile was dressed in a fancy overcoat and suit, he stomped through the dirt without hesitation. Doflamingo was left trying to waddle through the bogs carefully, desperate not get dirt on his clothes.

With every splash mud that hit the pink scarf, Doflamingo become even more murderous. By the time he reached the caves, he was cracking his knuckles in anticipation. _Oh, when I find out who put me through this_ , Doflamingo promised himself, _it's_ not _going to be pleasant_.

The pirate paused, thinking about it a bit further. _But I'm still going to enjoy myself_ , he decided finally.

As he tried to avoid another large puddle, Doflamingo glanced at Crocodile suspiciously. "So what did you have to do that was so important you needed to distract me all evening?" He accused eventually.

"Preparation is important," Crocodile replied simply.

They never said another word until they reached the caves. Inside, it was dark, gloomy and damp. It was filled with murky water that reached up to their knees. For a second, Crocodile looked annoyed at the pool of water, but he waddled through it nonetheless.

It was dark in the cave, but it was cramped too and there was only one way to move. Eventually, the pool of water gave way to solid rock ground, and the duo pulled themselves up silently. By that time, Doflamingo was so wet and muddy he was practically frothing at the mouth for someone to kill.

As they walked, the passage became large and wider, and the moonlight steamed in through holes in the caves. Doflamingo glanced at Crocodile, who was caked in mud but somehow still looked as neat as ever.

"Hey!" He hissed. "How come you dried off so quickly?"

Even in the dark, Doflamingo could _feel_ Crocodile's smirk. He was just about to press the issue, when Crocodile held out a hand warningly.

"Listen," he said quietly.

Suddenly, Doflamingo heard it too. It was deep, guttural growling echoing through the caves. It was so low that it was barely audible. It was like the snarls of a caged animal.

 _The monster_ , Doflamingo thought eagerly. His fingers were twitching for a fight. Doflamingo lead the way, Crocodile falling in line behind him, as they followed the sound of the snarling.

Neither man made a sound as they walked, carefully moving through the dark. Gradually, the sound of the growling became louder, until it was reverberating loudly off the walls. In the gloom, Doflamingo recognised the outline of a door fixed into the wall of the cave. It was made out of heavy wood, reinforced by metal, with a large deadbolt on the outside. _Someone was keeping a monster caged_ …

With painstaking care not to lose the element of surprise, Doflamingo slowly pushed the rusty lock open, but the door crept open with an agonisingly loud groan…

Every muscle he had braced for a fight, but there was nothing. Cautiously, Doflamingo entered the door, only to find himself in an empty room. The sound of animalistic snarling didn't cease.

"What the –" Doflamingo exclaimed in surprise. It was completely empty. Something was wrong here.

"In the corner," Crocodile pointed out. Doflamingo glanced around, and sure enough, lodged in the corner of the room, there was a large transponder snail, set on repeat. It was emitting the growling noises they had heard outside the door.

Right next to the snail, there were two pairs of boots, the soles of which had been replaced by a model of animal's paws. They were the type of boots you would use to fake the footprints of a large animal…

Suddenly, Doflamingo had a sinking suspicion that they had just walked into a trap.

The next second, the floor of the room instantly collapsed inwards, revealing a trapdoor that had gone unnoticed. There was absolutely nothing Doflamingo could do to stop himself. Both he and Crocodile were sent tumbling downwards.

The fall was short but brutal. They landed in a heap on a rough ground, and before they could even pick themselves up, strong arms were wrestling them down and binding their bodies with heavy chains.

Crocodile barely had time to react before he was left completely immobilised. Doflamingo managed to wrestle with the men enough to get to his feet, but he only managed to move two steps before a cool voice called out just next to his ear.

"I never did thank you for punching me in the face, did I?" The voice mocked, and then suddenly Doflamingo glimpsed a blur approaching him.

He tried to react, but it was too fast. Before he could even twitch, Doflamingo felt an impact take him off his feet. He tried to brace himself, but even as he fell to the ground another force hit him in the chest. All he could see was a blur.

He had thought that Cabaji had moved fast, but this guy was _insanely_ quick.

Doflamingo tried to use his powers, but it was like he was stuck in slow motion. In under a second, a blurring shape snatched up the chains, and Doflamingo felt his body being tightly constrained as the blur whizzed around. Suddenly, Doflamingo was left completely unable to move, and then a blow from behind knocked him face first into the ground.

The pirate was still trying to find his senses, when black boots appeared in view. A man wearing a dark suit and dark glasses was towering over him, looking down with faint arrogance.

"What the…?" Doflamingo mumbled incomprehensively. It had been a long time since he'd been on the receiving end of a beat-down that quickly.

"Captain Kuro!" Another man called out happily. He was one of the sniggering thugs that had jumped them, and he was motioning to the chained-up figure of Crocodile. "We've got this one!"

"Good work," the man in the suit said impassively. "Load them both up, we ship them out tonight."

Doflamingo recognised the voice, but it was colder and much more ruthless than what he remembered. "You!" He realised suddenly, shouting at the man in the suit. "You're that _bartender_!"

He gave only a cold, smug smile. "It's Captain Kuro, actually. Not that it makes much difference to you."

There were more men now, surrounding Doflamingo and Crocodile before dragging them away. All of the men wore cat ears. Doflamingo tried to struggle feebly, Crocodile simply let himself be dragged away silently.

"What the hell is going on here?" Doflamingo demanded angrily, as he looked around his surroundings. The scenery had completely changed.

They were in an underground harbour, built into the cliffs and illuminated by torches surrounding the walls. It was a cavernous place, dwarfed by high ledges and deep shadows, and the cavern made a small port where still water met the rock.

A small but busy port had been built in the cavern. The place was filled with wooden structures, and huge crates to be loaded or unloaded into the small ship that was docked silently at the water's edge. The whole harbour was completely invisible from the outside, hidden by the cliffs.

The man now known as Captain Kuro simply smiled at Doflamingo's outburst. His men had already put handcuffs onto the pair. He stood with faint aura of pride mixed in with disdain, like someone enjoying stepping on a pathetic bug.

"Foolish children like you have no right to call yourself pirates," he said smugly, and suddenly Doflamingo learned something about Captain Kuro: Kuro was a bad man.

 _Still, that's a good thing_ , Doflamingo thought to himself, _because bad men can never resist the temptation of a good monologue_.

"Let me guess…" Kuro drawled onwards, pacing like a cat. "You think you're young and invincible. You have big dreams, you think you are going to shake the world. You think you're the strongest. You are a fool. The only thing that defines a good pirate is cunning, craftiness and deception, and in that you have failed."

The round glasses on Kuro's face slipped, and he pushed them up with the palm of his hand. "The only thing that _children_ like you deserve is death."

Doflamingo's eyes flickered. Kuro smirked and continued. "Oh no, don't worry," he mocked. " _We're_ not going to kill you now. Instead, we'll ship you off to Captain Nezumi, and let him execute you. Occasionally killing some small-time pirates makes the good captain feel _useful_."

Doflamingo frowned. He had to keep him talking. The longer he monologued, the more likely it was that something bad would happen to him. A man monologuing was a man tempting fate.

"So what? You're a bartender by day and pirate mastermind by night? You enjoy playing dress-up as a 'monster'?" Doflamingo accused, still trying to wriggle out of the chains. "Why?"

Kuro snorted. Around him, the other pirates started to snigger. "A moron like you would never understand the intricacies of my plan," he said with disdain and faint mocking. "I'm a so far above you that you couldn't even begin to guess–"

"Really?" Crocodile interrupted suddenly, speaking up for the first time. "I thought this was all about the smuggling operation across the Marine Custom borders?"

There was a moment's silence.

Kuro paused, mid-monologue. "Wait… _what_?"

"Let's see; first you bribe Captain Nezumi, a lifelong coward, to look the other way while you run rampart in the town," Crocodile explained in an unimpressed drawl. "And then you create the rumour of a 'monster' – actually just two of your goons running around at night – so that all of the townspeople stay in at night and don't notice as you smuggle the illegal goods through the town. The fear of the monster also keeps people away from the caves, and so nobody notices this hidden smuggler's cove you've got down here."

A vein twitched on Captain Kuro's forehead. Crocodile continued nonetheless. "And then you set yourself up a barman, using the tavern as front for the illegitimate business. You get to keep a close eye on the townspeople, making sure no one gets suspicious. Anybody who tries to investigate; you can direct them into the caves where they fall through your little trapdoor, and then you'll send them off to Captain Nezumi to execute."

Around him, the pirates were starting to look at each other uncertainly. Doflamingo stared at the man next to him. Crocodile kept on going, like schoolteacher explaining a particularly uninteresting subject.

"So then; you've got a neat little operation, and the ability to move illegal goods around uninterrupted. You make a constant profit from the black market, and, so long as you don't make any waves, the Marines don't get involved because no one knows that you're here. Captain Nezumi gets a share of the profits, and a steady supply of intruders to execute as pirates. There are no bounty hunters or marines after you, and you can sit tight in your bar while earning good, illegal money with very little risk."

Everyone was staring at him, open-mouthed. No one was supposed to know that. Crocodile glanced around smugly.

"I'm sorry?" He asked mockingly. "Did I miss anything out?"

Captain Kuro finally found his words. " _You knew_?"

Crocodile smirked. It was the smirk of someone about to take great pleasure in twisting the knife. It was a smirk normally only seen on large reptiles just before they were about to drag an unsuspecting victim under the water.

"Oh, _please_." He rolled his eyes. "Of _course_ I knew what you what you were doing here. What sort of mindless buffoon do you take me for?" Crocodile motioned at Doflamingo. " _Him_?"

" _Hey_!" Doflamingo exclaimed loudly, but he was ignored by everyone.

"I looked at your records, remember?" Crocodile mocked. It was amazing how someone currently tied up in chains could look so arrogant. "And do you know what I realised? _Every single number in that ledger was completely fake_."

Kuro didn't respond. His face was a mask, but a keen observer would notice the uncertainty in his eyes.

"Your tavern wasn't making any profit _at all_. All of your expenses and incomes were completely off," Crocodile teased. "You thought I noticed an accounting fraud, but really I spotted a cover business a mile away. I figured out right then what was really going on."

Captain Kuro was silent for a very long time. He was a smart man, after all, and he had reached a conclusion, but Kuro really didn't like what his brain was telling him. If Crocodile knew exactly what he was doing, but still walked into his trap, then that implied…

"If you knew all that…" Kuro muttered under his breath, all former arrogance gone. "Then why would you still walk into the trap…?"

Crocodile's smirk reached new lengths. The Black Cat Pirates were looking nervous now. Crocodile said the following sentence with all the smugness and condescension he could manage.

"Oh, _that_ …" he said superiorly, drawing out his words for maximum impact. "Well… you see… it was taking a long time to load up the _cannons_."

Those moments were painfully long. Doflamingo slowly started to smile again. He could see the gears working in Captain Kuro's head as the pirate tried to understand that statement. There was only one it could possibly be interpreted, but that really didn't bode well for the Black Cat pirates…

Suddenly, there was a new voice echoing throughout the cavern. It was the sound of a man shouting an order into a speaker.

" _Light them up!_ "

At once, dozens of torches were illuminated from the cliffs surrounding the harbour. A ring of fire burst into life, and suddenly the shadows of figures standing on top the cliff. They had previously been completely invisible in the deep shadows of the cave, but suddenly the outlines were highlighted.

The shapes of large cannons were unmistakable, and they were all pointing downwards.

The loud voice from among the cannons boomed again. " _Attention Black Cat Pirates!_ " It resonated deafeningly throughout the cavern. " _This is Baroque Works! Put down your weapons, surrender immediately, or we will open fire! You have thirty seconds to comply!_ "

The panic was instantaneous. _It was a kill-zone_ , Doflamingo realised suddenly. Two dozen cannons forming a ring around an enclosed area, all pointing downwards. At that point, it wasn't even a challenge. It was literally like shooting fish in a barrel.

The Black Cat Pirates didn't stand a chance against that amount of artillery.

The Black Cat Pirates broke instantaneously. Half of them ran, the other half looked too scared to move, yet then started scrambling a few seconds later. Captain Kuro was suddenly wide-eyed, and stammering as he tried to process what was happening.

For years, Kuro had prided himself on being the smartest, the most cunning. Now, not only had one had one of his plans failed, but he had actually been _outsmarted_. For Kuro, that was simply incomprehensible. It could never happen. He was Captain Kuro– he was the smartest. No one could trick _him_.

The very thought otherwise was like discovering that world had been turned upside down.

"…no… no…" Kuro stuttered. His claws dropped from his arms with slicing sound, the iron blades glimmering from his fingers. All of his intelligence was telling him that he had lost, but his ego refused to accept that.

"This isn't right!" Kuro screamed loudly. "I am Kuro of a Hundred Plans! You haven't beaten me! I have a… I have a… backup plan…"

His voice trailed off helplessly. Crocodile's smile was predatory. Kuro's emotions were running rampant, and the pirate could feel his grip on reality fading away. _It was impossible for my plans to fail_ , Kuro thought to himself constantly, all the while his rationality was shredded.

"You're making a mistake!" Kuro screamed suddenly, drawing his blades and slashing towards Crocodile with an insane fury.

Crocodile just grinned. "No, _you've_ already made the mistake. There are some things in this world that are doomed for failure…" Crocodile mocked. His body started to shift slightly, and slowly the chains that bound him seemed to become slacker. "Let me give you some advice, Kuro: _never try to con a crocodile_."

His body started to change. Suddenly, Crocodile stood up, and the chains that had been tight around him simply phased through skin. Doflamingo looked at him in shock, but Crocodile's body was transforming into sand, grain by grain, and the chains were left unable to constrain him.

Kuro's mouth dropped open. The captain's mind was spinning as everything that he thought he knew just flitted away.

"You… _you're a Logia_?!" Kuro exclaimed with panic. It was utterly impossible, but Kuro's plans were failing even more with every second.

It should have been physically impossible for a man to look even smugger, but, somehow, Crocodile managed it.

" _Oops_ ," Crocodile mocked coolly. "Did I forget to mention that?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally, I was intending on uploading this chapter and the next as one extra-large chapter, but I decided against it. I like smaller chapters (I normally aim for about 3000 words) so I really didn't like having a single chapter more than twice that size.
> 
> And, yes, I really am evil enough to leave you with that cliff-hanger :)
> 
> Got to admit, I love the one-liners in this chapter. Crocodile really is that awesome. 
> 
> Pro-tip: if anyone ever says "It was taking a long time to load up the cannons" in a smug tone of voice, then you should start running very, very quickly. 
> 
> Kuro's plans have nothing on Crocodile's. I've been trying to set up mystery and intrigue in this arc, so please let me know how my plot twists and revelations did. 
> 
> Still, there's more action and a final boss fight to come; also I might not be completely out of surprises just yet…
> 
> Next time: The epic conclusion to the arc; "The Liars, Part 2".


	9. The Liars, Part 2

Around them, the pirates were fleeing for their lives. At the end of the day, the Black Cat Pirates were nothing more than frightened little kittens. They had no stomach to stand their ground when the nozzles of a dozen cannons were pointing at them.

Crocodile stood perfectly still, paying no attention to the pirates running past him. His arms folded and his face was supremely confidence. The sand around his body was swirling gently.

Captain Kuro couldn't even find the words as he watched everything around him fall apart. Slowly, the thoughts started to form in his head; _I… lost…_

At that, Kuro erupted in a primal rage that he had never felt before. He was normally so calm and calculated, but suddenly he was overwhelmed by a fury that blocked out all rational thought. He screamed wordlessly as he struck at Crocodile, his body blurring as he spun his claws forward.

Crocodile barely managed to block the attack with his hook. The next second, four cuts appeared across Crocodile's chest, faster than he could dematerialise into sand.

Crocodile simply grunted and lashed forward as a wide blade formed of sand flying from his hands and cutting through the air. Kuro blurred as he sidestepped the attack, and instantly Kuro was behind Crocodile and jamming his claws through Crocodile's head.

This time, Crocodile barely managed to dematerialise into sand to avoid the attack, otherwise it would have killed him. Kuro didn't hesitate and brought up an uppercut which grazed Crocodile's shoulder.

The rest of the Black Cat pirates were fleeing for their lives, but the captain didn't care. All he wanted to cut Crocodile's heart out, and he attacked relentlessly. Even despite his Logia powers, Crocodile was forced onto the defensive, narrowly avoiding the flurry of blades that Kuro unleashed. Every other attack hit nothing but sand, yet Kuro was attacking too fast for Crocodile to avoid them all. Within seconds, deep cuts covered Crocodile's body as Kuro pressed the attack forward.

After another relentless assault, Crocodile was left panting heavily, trying to keep up. After his brief insanity, the rational part of Captain Kuro's brain started to reinforce itself. The rest of his crew had fled, but Kuro was winning this fight and the men with the cannons on the cliff still hadn't fired. _They don't want to hit Crocodile in the crossfire_ , Kuro decided, _and that means that I still have a chance_.

He would slash Crocodile until he was incapable of fighting back, and then he would take him hostage and force Baroque Works to surrender. He would rally his men again, kill the intruders, and then the operation would continue as it always did. Kuro smiled. _Yes_ , he thought, _I can still do this_.

He was even feeling arrogant again as he toyed with Crocodile, launching precision attacks to cripple the man's ability to fight. Crocodile wasn't weak, but Kuro was simply too fast.

A cold laugh split from Kuro's lips. "You are still a fool to face me in one-on-one combat," the captain mocked. "I will enjoy shredding you to pieces for what you've done here."

Crocodile was staggering now. Kuro's claws had cut the tendons in his arms and legs. It was agonising to move, yet Crocodile had to force himself to dodge the flurry of slashing blades. He was losing too much blood, and his movements were sluggish. He had to do something desperate now; a last-ditch attack.

Crocodile grit his teeth, before using all of his strength to form another blade of sand that cut vertically. The ground split from the incredible erosion, but Kuro sidestepped easily while the blade of sand hit harmlessly back in the camp. The solid rock ground cut into two with ease.

"You missed." Kuro mocked.

"I wasn't aiming for you, moron." Crocodile smirked.

At once, Kuro realised his mistake. He dropped to the ground just as razor-sharp string cut through the air above him. Behind him, Doflamingo was already pulling himself up. The sand had cut cleanly through the chains like a hot knife through butter.

Doflamingo was laughing again. "Thanks for that!" Doflamingo shouted at Crocodile, before launching himself at Kuro. The wires were flexing from his fingers, and he was feeling more pumped up than he had in a long time. He grinned murderously at Kuro. "You're _mine_ , now."

Kuro darted at him, fast as lightning. This time, Doflamingo managed to keep up, and the a net strings blocked the iron claws. As Doflamingo threaded his powers into a net of swirling wire around his body, Kuro was forced backwards and they began to trade blows evenly.

Sighing, Crocodile slowly straightened his collar as he watched Doflamingo and Kuro dance with each other. Admittedly, Crocodile hadn't expected Kuro to be so strong, but other than that, his plan had gone beautifully.

Crocodile carefully brushed off the dirt from his clothes, and tended to the most serious of his cuts. He smoothed his hair back, and then sat down on top of one of the crates, watching with faint amusement while Doflamingo fought for his life against Kuro.

Absentmindedly, Crocodile noticed that the crate he was sitting on was filled with expensive cigars, ones which would undoubtedly bring a high price at the black market.

Since he didn't have anything better to do, Crocodile carefully selected a cigar, lighting it cautiously before taking a deep breath. The flavour was thick and rich, and surprisingly good. _Perhaps it would become a habit_ , he mused. Crocodile allowed himself to relax, smoking a cigar while casually observing Doflamingo and Kuro clash it out.

It was a fairly close thing. Kuro was much faster and was landing three blows for every one of Doflamingo's, but Doflamingo fought with a relentless intensity that Kuro just couldn't match. As Kuro began to slow down, Doflamingo just kept on going hard.

Within minutes, both parties were covered in blood. Doflamingo's clothes, which had been turned brown by the trek through the swampland, were gradually being dyed pink again by the flowing blood. Doflamingo seemed to be having a great time, while Kuro was starting to be pushed back.

By the time Crocodile was only a quarter of a way through his cigar, Kuro was now noticeably falling behind. The blood loss was getting to him, while Doflamingo didn't seem to care. Eventually, Kuro slipped up, allowing Doflamingo to wrap his string around the cat claws, and break the iron blades into pieces.

After that, Kuro was left trying to fight a losing battle with one-handed. He was spilling blood and the wounds were mounting.

Crocodile fancied he could see the internal struggle going through Kuro's mind. The rational part of Kuro knew that he should run and cut his losses, as there wouldn't be a victory here. However, it was the ego and pride that really drove him, and that refused to give in. That part of him knew that if he ran, then he would lose his entire operation. If Kuro ran, he would be back to being nothing more than an outlaw, constantly on the run. Even as the ego was being constantly pulverised with every blow that Doflamingo landed, it didn't break easily.

Finally, after another wire almost took off his arm, Kuro had to flee. The captain was hobbling, but he still moved quickly as he fled out of the cavern after his men. A trail of blood marked his path.

Crocodile wondered vaguely if he should chase after him, but quickly decided against it. Crocodile had seen something break inside of Kuro as he finally gave in and fled.

Captain Kuro had been completely and utterly defeated, more than just physically.

Despite everything, Crocodile felt a rare twitch of empathy for the man, as he watched Kuro run away.

Crocodile took another deep breath of the cigar as he watched Doflamingo stagger back towards him. Doflamingo was bloody and covered in cuts, but still he smiling like a child at Christmas. Finally, all of his pent-up frustration was dissipated in a long and bloody fight, and he was still enjoying the adrenaline running through his body.

Doflamingo raised an eyebrow at Crocodile, who was still just relaxing with his cigar. "Well, thanks for your help," he said sarcastically, but there were no hard feelings.

"You looked like you were enjoying yourself." Crocodile replied simply. He was definitely enjoying his cigar, and he had just acquired a whole crate of them. It was something to look forward to.

Doflamingo glanced down at his clothes. They had been absolutely ruined, but thankfully he had managed to protect his precious scarf from most of the damage. Still, the lack of fashion suddenly made him even more miserable.

Crocodile noticed the change in mood.

"Did you know…" Crocodile offered, as he was feeling, quite unusually, good-natured. "That there is a huge tax mark-up on designer labels? As a matter-of-fact, luxury fashion items are one of the biggest products smuggled through the black market."

Doflamingo looked at him, puzzled. Crocodile sighed. "I'm saying," Crocodile explained slowly. "That if you looked through these crates, I would wager that you'd come across fashion clothes. Odds are there will be _something_ in pink."

At once, Doflamingo lit up brightly, and proceeded to strip the tops of the crates and rummage through the smuggled goods.

He was halfway through his second crate, when he realised something. "Hey!" He called to Crocodile accusingly. He motioned to the figures surrounding them, still standing at their cannons. "You could have told me about the reinforcements!"

Crocodile feigned ignorance. "Reinforcements?" He said with a smirk. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Doflamingo looked confused. Crocodile's grin just widened.

"Like I told you as we arrived," He said smugly. "Preparation is important."

Curious, Doflamingo later climbed up to the cliffs to have a closer look at the Baroque Works agents and the cannons.

He was laughing about it for days.

They were sand sculptures. The figures of the cannons and the men were all just sculptures, which had been invisible until the torches were lit by fuse. The flickering flames gave the impression of movement, and a transponder snail and a microphone gave a pre-recorded speech.

* * *

"That's the wrong key," Doflamingo insisted. "Try that other one."

"Would you back off?" Crocodile growled. "It's not like they have labels on them."

They were deeper in the caves, and currently searching through the rooms behind the harbour, searching for the missing swordsman.

"But it's clearly that key!" Doflamingo pressed. "That key fits _that_ lock."

Crocodile gritted his teeth. This was the third room they searched, and the third time they had this argument. "The keys all look exactly the same!"

"Just try that key. I bet you that that key will work."

"Oh, haven't you learned from the last two times?"

"This time I'm definite," Doflamingo asserted.

Crocodile sighed, but relented. There was click as the lock opened.

"You got lucky," Crocodile said firmly, refusing to look at Doflamingo's grin. "You were wrong two times, it's pure probability that you're right eventually."

"It's not luck; it's skill. I'm just –"

He was interrupted as suddenly Mihawk stepped out of the room. Mihawk was covered in wounds and bleeding heavily, but he didn't seem to care. There were large cuts that looked like claw marks across his body. There were the remains of broken manacles still dangling off his wrist. His knuckles were especially bloody.

"Well, it's about time," Mihawk grumbled, glancing at Doflamingo with annoyance. "I've been waiting for hours."

Doflamingo looked at Mihawk with surprise. The swordsman never even gave Crocodile a second glance or asked who he was. Just looking at Mihawk's wounds made Doflamingo hurt, but Mihawk was already walking away.

"What the hell happened to you?" Doflamingo called.

Mihawk simply shrugged, and never even turned around.

"Nothing important," he replied simply.

Doflamingo and Crocodile shared a glance, before they both decided that it wasn't their concern and walked away.

Meanwhile, back in the room, the beaten and broken bodies of Buchi and Sham littered the floor. They would not be moving for a while.

* * *

A day later, Mihawk was bandaged up again and Doflamingo was over the moon with the clothes looted from Kuro's smuggling operation. The entire harbour had been looted, and a large amount of coins and other valuables were added to Doflamingo's growing horde. Crocodile took a large box of cigars, and made careful note everything of value.

Once the bribes had stopped, the Marines returned to Gloom Town. Without Kuro's money greasing the wheels, suddenly there were a lot of questions and investigations that needed answers. A battleship appeared in the harbour the next morning, and never looked like it was going to move.

It was time for the pirates to leave.

Crocodile had spent most of the time preparing for the journey. The ship that had been left in the smuggler's harbour had been checked and restocked for the voyage.

"Prepare whatever you're taking," Crocodile ordered eventually, stepping off the gangway. "We're sailing off in two hours."

Doflamingo frowned. "You remember that _I'm_ the captain, right?"

"Believe me; I have no interest in being the captain of this… 'crew'," Crocodile scoffed. "But neither am I your subordinate. Right now, I am simply a Baroque Works agent whose services you have hired, and I will accompany you until you have fulfilled your end of the bargain."

"You mean until we've killed this former employee of yours?" Doflamingo pressed.

"Yes; a traitorous employee," Crocodile lied seamlessly. "One who has betrayed Baroque Works to start his own, rival organisation, "The Syndicate", and is currently undercutting our business in the Grand Line. If you end this cancer for us, then Baroque Works will consider it fair trade in return for delivering your crew to the Grand Line."

"Huh…" Doflamingo thought about it for second. "You know, if Baroque Works is such a big company, then why do you need us to take of your mess?"

Crocodile hadn't expected Doflamingo to say something so intelligent, but he shrugged it off quickly. "Resources are stretched thin, and our former employee has proved stubborn. Surely it will be no difficulty for someone of your talents?"

Doflamingo laughed. "Of course I can do it!"

"Then there will be no issues." Crocodile smiled, forcing himself to appear earnest.

As Crocodile walked back to the ship, Doflamingo called out. "Hey, speaking of our agreement, why exactly are we taking Kuro's old ship?" He wondered.

Crocodile shrugged. "Baroque Works was prepared to supply the ship by itself," he lied. "But if there's a suitable ship available, then it is more efficient for both parties to simply take this one."

Doflamingo glanced at the ship sitting in the harbour. It was a caravel class ship, quite small but sturdy. Caravels were great at taking a beating, and it was inconspicuous enough, doubtlessly why Kuro had used it for smuggling.

The ship was actually a design that Kuro had copied from one of his previous jobs, although there had been modifications. It lacked a figurehead, and there weren't any distinctive sails. Crocodile doubted that Kuro had ever treated the ship has anything other than a means of transport, but perhaps it would make a decent pirate vessel.

Of course, Crocodile never had a ship of his own to give away. 'Baroque Works' was nothing more than a name and there was only one person left in the company, with no funds or influence left. Still, it was important that Doflamingo never realised that.

"Alright then," Doflamingo said dismissively. "Just one thing, does our new ship have a name?"

Crocodile shook his head. "I never bothered to ask Kuro," he replied dismissively. "I suppose you'll have to name it."

Doflamingo scratched his chin, deep in thought. "Hmm… that's something to think about."

Crocodile walked up the gangway and was just about to disappear below deck. "One hour, and then we sail out," Crocodile reminded him. "It wouldn't do to be here when the Marines come snooping."

As soon as he was safely out of sight, Crocodile allowed himself a small smirk. _Yes_ , he thought smugly, _I judged him correctly straight away_. Doflamingo was loud, brash and arrogant. He had more muscles than wits, and Crocodile was confident he could be easily manipulated. Crocodile would use Doflamingo as a smokescreen, a loud rookie to attract all the attention, while Crocodile would sneak back into the Grand Line.

It would then be fool's play to then set Doflamingo up against the Boss, although obviously that was a fight that Doflamingo stood absolutely no chance of winning. It would be enough of a distraction for Crocodile to try again at stealing the Syndicate's records. Once he had the ammunition to put the Syndicate out of business, then he could restart Baroque Works.

Of course, Doflamingo and whatever misfits that followed him stood no chance of survival. _Not that it matters_ , Crocodile thought mercilessly, _they are nothing but pawns, anyways_.

All Crocodile had to do was keep Doflamingo in the dark until they reached Grand Line. _That wouldn't even be difficult_ , he thought smugly, _men like Doflamingo are too blinded by their own arrogance to see the truth_.

* * *

Doflamingo was still staring thoughtfully at his new ship even when Crocodile was out of earshot.

"Hey, Mihawk," he called out suddenly. "Can you think of a name for this ship?"

The swordsman was busy sharpening his sword, and shook his head without even looking up. "Not a clue."

"Hmph…" Doflamingo snorted. "A ship needs a name. This is going to be bugging me now."

Mihawk paused from sharpening his sword momentarily. "So Crocodile is joining the crew," Mihawk stated eventually, but there was a hint of a question in his voice.

Doflamingo grinned. "Sort of."

Mihawk raised an eyebrow quietly.

"Crocodile is trying to manipulate us into assassinating his former boss," Doflamingo explained simply. "He's going to travel with us to the Grand Line, and then he's going to betray us. I expect he'll use us as bait, and then leave us to die. As a matter of fact, I'm ninety percent sure that everything he's said has been a lie."

"Oh," Mihawk replied. There was no shock or outrage, just faint acceptance. Mihawk returned to sharpening his sword. "So do you want to kill him or should I?"

Doflamingo just laughed. "Kill him?" He said between chuckles. "Now where's the fun in that?"

* * *

On the other side of the island, Captain Kuro was in a bad mood. As a matter of fact, it had been nearly a decade since he had been in such a foul mood.

Once the money stopped flowing, the enterprise ground to a halt. Within days of his defeat, all of his contacts cut all connections. Suddenly, his bounty was reactivated, and it wouldn't be long before the bounty hunters and the marines started their pursuit again. He could never return to Gloom Town.

It had taken years for him to lose his trail. How many more years could he survive being a wanted man?

He had lost everything; his business, his anonymity, his ship.

What remained of the Black Cat Pirates had gathered on a small beach, huddled over a campfire. He could see the treasonous glances flickering between his men. His two most faithful stewards, Sham and Buchi, had never made it out. How much longer would the Black Cat Pirates follow a failing captain?

Somewhere, through all the plans, Kuro had become old. He kept himself lean and in good shape, but he could feel himself aging. Sooner or later, Captain Kuro was beginning to realise that retirement wasn't an option. No matter how hard he ran, it was the fate of all pirates to die either on the gallows or the sword.

"How long are we going to sit out here?" One of the pirates grumbled. Kuro remained quiet.

"We don't have a ship. We're stranded on this godforsaken island now." Someone else grouched. The mood was quiet, but it was getting dangerous.

"What's the _plan_ , Captain?" There was a touch of sarcasm in the word "Captain".

Kuro didn't respond. He sat perfectly still, thinking. All eyes were on him, and every hand was close to a weapon. None had been drawn yet, but it wasn't far away. Pirates were like cats – their loyalty was dubious at best.

"We shouldn't be here." Someone else spoke up, at the back. "We should have disbanded years ago. With every _plan_ we just get fewer and fewer."

There was another silence. Finally, some brave soul dared to break it. "I should have left with Jango when I had the chance."

That was the breaking point. No one had mention Jango in nearly ten years, not aloud. The former captain's betrayal was still a sore point with Kuro.

One by one, a group of Black Cat Pirates started to stand up. Their weapons were in their hands now. Half a dozen fake cat ears dropped to the ground.

"I've had enough of this." One of them proclaimed finally. "I'm leaving. I'm sick of being on the losing side."

The deserters turned around and started to walk away. Kuro watched them leave through the corner of his eye. Kuro had no love for any of them. They were all just tools, pawns to be played. But still, if they left, then Kuro was by himself. How long would a captain with no ship, no crew and no hope be able to survive?

Finally, Kuro spoke up. "Anybody who wants to leave…" He said slowly and quietly, but his voice was heard clearly over the quiet beach. "…must do so over my dead body."

The words cut through the night like a blade. The deserters stopped walking, but now everyone was standing up, weapons drawn. Kuro caught the glint of uncertainty in their eyes, but combined with a spark of defiance.

Kuro pulled himself up slowly. His face was unreadable, but inside he felt a dread like he had never felt before. This was it; every captain's worst nightmare. The captain versus the crew.

How much fight did Kuro still have left in him?

The air was so tense that Kuro could feel every eye on him tightly. He slowly put on his one remaining cat claw, and flexed the blades experimentally.

Suddenly, just as things were about to get violent, the standoff was broken by the sound of laughter, and heavy footsteps approaching across the beach.

"Wow, Kuro," the intruder exclaimed loudly. "You've really fallen hard."

The pirates suddenly turned to the newcomer, a figure walking across the beach wearing a thick trench coat and a dark sunhat covering his face. There was a large object, larger than the man himself, slung across his back. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and seemed utterly at ease among the large group of pirates.

Kuro recognised the voice. It was deeper and more confident than what he remembered, but he had never forgotten it. For the second time in a few days, Captain Kuro was left completely shocked.

"You!" Kuro shouted. Some of the other, the older, members of the Black Cat Pirates recognised him as well. This was the man responsible for their greatest defeat.

"Yep," the intruder said coolly. He lifted up his hat to reveal an abnormally long nose, and a smirk. " _Me_."

Usopp grinned confidently, even as the men that outnumbered fifty to one all drew their swords. Kuro was staring, dumbfounded by surprise. Usopp had changed over the last ten years. He was no longer a lanky teenager, but had filled out into a bulky, heavily built man. He now had a small beard, and he had lost the baby fat and the silly face. His jaw was strong, with well-defined cheekbones, but his nose was still incredibly long.

Kuro had never expected to see this man again, but he had always hoped.

As his brain finally processed what his eyes were seeing, a hollow laugh burst from Captain Kuro's lips. The sound caused most of the crew to jump; no one had ever heard Kuro laugh before. The plans were already whirring through the captain's head.

"You!" Kuro cackled maniacally. He was more excited than he had been in years. "And to think I thought this was going to be a bad night!"

Usopp was laughing as well, but with a lot less crazy. "Oh, the night's not over yet!" He chuckled.

Kuro didn't seem to hear. "All I have to do is capture you!" The captain said in an almost wondrous voice. It was the voice of someone who couldn't believe his luck. "And _your_ captain's desire to protect his crewmates is legendary! If I ransom your head, then he would turn himself in! Once I become the man who hands over the World's Most Wanted, I'm set for life!"

The Black Cats Pirates started to realise the same thing, and one by one they all pointed their blades at Usopp. They were grinning too.

Captain Kuro was suddenly laughing so hard that Usopp started to fear for his sanity. "The last time I checked…" Kuro stammered. " _His_ bounty poster just had the phrase "Name your price" on it! They couldn't fit all the zeroes! I'll be rich beyond my wildest dreams!"

Usopp start to laugh harder as well. Kuro really should have been more worried about that.

"That's right!" Usopp grinned brightly. "And to think; _all you have to do is capture me_!"

He said that with such force and confidence that suddenly they stopped laughing, and started to wonder why Usopp wasn't more scared. Kuro must have realised this too.

"Don't be fooled!" The captain snapped. "We faced him before! He's still the exact same pathetic little liar that we faced a decade ago! Do you remember when you were lying on the ground, with your bum in the air? Without your captain to protect you, you are nothing!"

Kuro drew his claws, while the pirates all lunged forward. Usopp jumped backwards, and as quick as flash he had drawn the object on his back and was spinning it in his hands.

It was a hammer, but it was the largest hammer that any of them had ever seen. The handle was six-foot long, while the head was bigger than a man. In big letters, the words "5 TONNES" was been printed on the side. Usopp carried it with one hand.

"Got to admit, I wasn't expecting to meet you," Usopp smirked, spinning the huge hammer around idly. "I came back to the East Blue on other business; but when I heard that you were nearby, I just couldn't resist. I figured I'd come back and show my _gratitude_ to an old acquaintance. Tell me, have you ever been thrown face first down memory lane?"

"Five tonnes?" One of the pirates stuttered, moving backwards in shock. Others were looking nervous.

"Ha! As if," Kuro barked dismissively. "He's still nothing but a little liar. I'll bet that that hammer isn't really five tonnes, is it?"

Usopp grin just widened as he held up his hands in mock innocence. "Alright, you got me. It's true; the number is completely fake."

Usopp stood completely still for a second, before suddenly he snatched up his hammer with both hands, lifted it over his head, before bringing it down quickly on to the ground.

The impact caused a small earthquake across the island.

At once, the shockwave sent the pirates flying in all direction. A huge layer of debris rose up, causing the earth to wave as if it were made of liquid. A cloud of debris rose from the beach, erupting in a huge explosion.

Kuro never even had time to run. Suddenly, he took the full brunt of the blast. It sent him bouncing off the ground and flying fifty foot before landing roughly in a pile on the other side of the beach.

In one blow, the Black Cat Pirates had been completely and utterly decimated. They never stood a chance.

A twenty-foot wide crater was left in the ground. A small mushroom cloud of dust had burst over the area, covering the beach with ash. There wasn't an unbroken pane of glass in a mile.

Usopp was strolling forward, twirling his hammer absentmindedly.

"The hammer is actually _fifty tonnes_." Usopp said with great satisfaction. "I stopped over-exaggerating everything years ago; it's much more _fun_ to under-exaggerate instead."

Captain Kuro had so many broken bones his body felt completely numb. He tried to move, but his limbs just weren't responding to him anymore. Somehow, even despite his broken teeth and bloodied mouth, he still managed to gasp. "But… you're just a… little liar…"

Usopp was standing over Kuro now. His grin never dropped.

"Oh no…" He proclaimed triumphantly. "I am the _World's GREATEST Liar_."

* * *

Some distance off the coast, a woman with orange hair, sitting in a small sailing boat, watched with a complete lack of surprise as a mushroom cloud rose up over the nearby beach. The shockwave caused the boat to wobble dangerously.

She sighed, but she hadn't really expected anything else.

"Usopp…" she muttered idly. "You're still exactly the same as you've always been. You always have to be so over-the-top…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end of the Gloom Town Arc! 
> 
> Crocodile "joins" the crew!
> 
> Crocodile's plan thickens!
> 
> Things never went well for Captain Kuro at all!
> 
> Doflamingo gets a new ship!
> 
> First appearance of two Straw Hat pirates, and they have business in the East Blue!
> 
> Please, let me know how I did. It was a fun chapter to write.
> 
> Also, the currently-nameless ship that Doflamingo has picked up is, of course, the same type as the Going Merry. Kuro stole the designs from when he was working for Kaya, and later built his version of it to use a smuggling vessel. Doflamingo and Co. took it from Kuro, and it's their ship now. Think of this ship as the twisted cousin of the Going Merry.
> 
> The next chapter marks the beginning of a brand new arc, one which I'm really looking forward to. The crew is getting bigger, and it won't be long before they start attracting attention.
> 
> The next arc features Loguetown; where Bartholomew Kuma is having a really bad day…
> 
>  
> 
> Next time: "Loguetown; It's a Great Place for an Execution! Bring Your Friends!"


	10. It's Great Place for an Execution, Bring your Friends!

Cabaji stood nervously on the beach, watching the small boat slowly approach from over the horizon. His arm was twitching, and he tried to tell himself that it was just his injury that hadn't healed well.

The first mate Mohji stood right next to him, equally nervous. On one hand, they should have nothing to worry about. Both had been with Buggy longer than anybody. Back when Buggy had been nothing but a small time East Blue pirate, Cabaji and Mohji had been by his side.

But Buggy wasn't a small-time pirate any more. The Pirate Dispatch service was infamous across the Grand Line, and Buggy was the Star Clown, one of the biggest names in the world.

Pretty soon, as Buggy started to gather more and more strong names under his flag, it had become obvious that neither Cabaji nor Mohji could survive in the big leagues. The two officers had become a deadweight, a sobering reminder of back when Buggy was a nobody.

Instead, they'd both between cut off. They had been allowed to keep the Buggy Jolly Roger, and take a handful of misfits back to the East Blue. They had settled down in a quiet town, keeping a low profile so the Marines never got involved, all the while slowly taxing the townspeople and taking a share of the trade profits.

It had been a pretty sweet deal for a couple of old has-beens.

Everything changed when they were forced out of the town. It had been an embarrassment, an insult to the Buggy Pirates, and their captain had grown increasingly bloodthirsty recently.

The truth was that neither Cabaji nor Mohji had spoken to their old captain in years. They barely knew the man anymore. Buggy the Clown was a name to be feared, and he did not suffer fools. Cabaji had no idea what punishment was in store for him, but he wasn't convinced that he would survive.

Gradually, the ship came in to view. It was small sailing boat, closer to a pleasure yacht than a pirate ship, made from smooth white wood and kept flawlessly clean. There was a single figure on deck, watching the pirates standing on the beach with clear disdain.

Finally, the yacht hit against the shallow water, and Lady Alvida walked up to the misfit Buggy Pirates. It had been almost ten years since Cabaji had seen Alvida, but she had aged beautifully. She had the exact same perfect porcelain skin, and her body was just as lean and voluptuous as ever. She carried a large iron mace easily over her shoulder, and looked down at Cabaji and Mohji with annoyance.

Alvida had also started out as a little fish in the East Blue, but, unlike Cabaji and Mohji, she had quickly grown into Grand Line level. In fact, she was irritated to even have to return here. She had hoped that she would never have to see this awful ocean again.

Alvida was now the right-hand woman to Buggy himself. Returning to the East Blue was like a big fish returning to the small pond.

"Lady Alvida!" Mohji stammered in greeting, trying not to be distracted by her beauty. Behind him, many of his remaining men had been completely entranced.

"Save it." Alvida waved her hand dismissively. "Captain Buggy is very annoyed with you two buffoons."

Cabaji gulped. "But it wasn't our fault!" He protested. "These two guys were strong, and they just–"

"You got your asses handed to you by two rookies, and then you got chased out of the town," Alvida cut him off. "You dragged the Buggy flag through the dirt. If I had my way, trash like you two should be thrown out."

She raised her mace threateningly. Both the pirates took a step back with worry. Alvida continued. "However," she explained. "Despite _my_ opinion, the captain has graciously allowed you a second chance. All you have to do is provide something in return."

They both nodded eagerly. " _Anything_."

Alvida's eyes glinted. "You simply have to prove to the captain that you aren't completely useless. You've got to make an example of those that cross the Buggy Pirates. Buggy the Clown demands the heads of both the rookies that beat you, and in return you get to keep _your_ heads."

It wasn't an offer he could refuse, but still, Mohji hesitated. "We've got to kill those two?" He asked worriedly, thinking of Doflamingo and Mihawk again. "…But how…?"

Alvida rolled her eyes. "How many men do you have left?"

Cabaji paused. "About fifty," he admitted. They had lost a lot of people trying to escape from the townspeople uprising. Mohji's lion, Richie, had escaped too, but the animal was still so wounded it could barely move.

"That's enough," Alvida nodded. "Take your men, capture some merchant's ship. Get back on the seas, chase after those rookies, and kill them."

Cabaji and Mohji glanced at each other uncertainly. "But we don't even know where they're going!" Mohji protested. "They could be anywhere by now!"

Alvida had to resist the urge to bash their skulls in right there. "Are you fools?" She asked with frustration. "These rookies are up-and-comers; there's only one place that they are heading. They're going for the Grand Line. And anybody who's going for the Grand Line will always visit Loguetown first."

Cabaji was very uneasy now. He couldn't help but think back to the last time they had tried to kill someone in Loguetown, and what a disaster that had been. Alvida had been with them that time, too.

"But what about the Marines…?" Cabaji protested weakly.

Alvida just laughed. "What about them? You've got to kill two pirates, and then leave. You don't _deserve_ to be Buggy Pirates if you're scared of the Marines. This is a simple job."

The beautiful woman was already walking away, her hips swinging enticingly with every step. "After all," she called with a sly smile. "I hear that Loguetown is a _great_ place for an execution."

* * *

Bartholomew Kuma stood on a small hill, slowly inspecting the map in his hand. The sun was just rising over the horizon in front of him. His face was twisted with concentration as he focused intently on the crinkled piece of paper in front of him.

For several long minutes, the teenager never moved. Then, with delicate care, Kuma turned towards the left and held the map up, trying to match the surroundings with what was on the paper. When that didn't work, he turned around hundred and eighty degrees and tried the same in the other direction.

The minutes passed slowly, all the while Kuma started to gradually rotate on the spot, inspecting his map critically. The sweat dripped from his forehead. Finally, he put the map down, scratched his head for a long while, and then pulled out the compass fastened around his neck. He held the compass straight, perfectly flat, and tried to follow the needle.

He then started to rotate on the spot again. The compass needle didn't move.

Kuma scratched his head once more, before pulling out his map for a second look. It still didn't make any more sense.

Finally, Kuma decided that he couldn't work on an empty stomach, so he sat down on ground and took off his very large backpack. Carefully, he unpacked his backpack and pulled out a small stove, a cylinder of rice, some (almost) fresh vegetables, a large bag of spices, and other assorted cooking ingredients. For the next few hours, Bartholomew Kuma was sitting down while he slowly fried up a curry before eating it with care.

Then, Kuma proceeded to clean all of his pans and plates, and then repacking everything back into his backpack.

Finally, Kuma stood up again, pulled out his map, and resumed a look of intense concentration. He stood like that for almost half an hour, before he eventually reached a decision and started walking.

The large teenager took nearly half a dozen steps, before suddenly he hesitated. He pulled out the map again, turned it upside down, and then started walking in the opposite direction.

He barely made it any distance before he stopped again. Kuma was now visibly worried. He tried rotating the map in every direction he could think of, but it still didn't make any sense.

After another hour, Kuma sighed, and then scratched his head again. He was standing on top of a small hill, overlooking a wide and completely unfamiliar landscape. Truth be told, he wasn't even sure which direction he had come _from_ anymore. By now, the sun was slowly setting over the horizon.

Now, Bartholomew Kuma was not the fastest thinker, but he reached a conclusion eventually.

 _I may have a problem here_ , he decided finally, taking one last look at his completely illegible map.

Honestly, he wasn't really sure _where_ this map was for…

* * *

The caravel chopped through the waves smoothly. It was a pretty nice ship, and the weather was bright and sunny. Doflamingo was currently lounging out on deck, wearing his purple sunglasses, and staring up to the sky thoughtfully.

" _The Pink Piranha_ ," Doflamingo said finally. He thought about it for a second. "Nah, too flashy."

Another couple of minutes passed.

" _Shark Dreadnaught_ ," the pirate said out loud. He mused over the name for a while. "Hmm… No, it's just not _right_."

Finally, Doflamingo jumped to his feet.

"Grr…!" He growled with frustration, stamping his feet angrily. "This is driving me mad! We need a name for the ship!"

"Will you shut up?" Mihawk snarled. He was busy doing one-handed handstands, with a large barrel balanced on his feet. "I swear I'm going to cut you if you don't stop talking…"

Almost absent-mindedly, Doflamingo flicked out a string which wrapped around Mihawk's feet, and causing the swordsman to topple to the ground. The barrel crashed across the deck.

"We need a name," Doflamingo repeated, while Mihawk was already brandishing his sword. "It's just not right sailing a nameless ship."

Mihawk was getting ready to slash him, before suddenly Crocodile appeared on deck. "Port in forty-five minutes," the navigator told them in a bored drawl. "Prepare to bring in the sails."

Instantly, Doflamingo was using his strings to pull himself up to the crow nest on top the mast. In the distance, the outline of a large island was rapidly approach. Doflamingo laughed. "Whoa!" He exclaimed. "We actually made it!"

Crocodile merely rolled his eyes, already walking away. Doflamingo turned to face him. "Hey, Croc!" The captain called brightly. "Can you think of a name for this ship?"

"I don't give a damn," the navigator replied, without even turning around.

Doflamingo just smirked, before using his string to prepare to furl up the sails. Mihawk was adjusting his bandages, and sheathing his sword across his back.

The sails were slowly wrapped up and the mast twisted inwards. The ship slowed down gradually, just as a bustling port became closer. Doflamingo dropped down to the deck easily.

"So, navigator," he asked. "Where are we actually going?"

Crocodile scoffed. "Loguetown," he replied condescendingly. "The last stop before the Grand Line. Go there; pick up whatever supplies you need, because it gets a lot rougher from here on."

Mihawk paused, listening in on the conversation. "Do they have a sword shop here?"

"How should I know?" Crocodile replied snidely. Mihawk gritted his teeth. The swordsman was getting really irritated with Crocodile's constant sarcasm and arrogance. Strangely, Doflamingo never seemed the least bit bothered.

The captain nodded, already eager for upcoming adventure. He was grinning like a child as he watched the harbour drift closer. "Oh, this is going to be _fun_ ," he laughed. "I can just _feel_ it."

Crocodile sighed exasperatedly. "You know that you have a low profile, right?" He said with exaggerated care. "Loguetown will be crawling with Marines."

"Low profile?" Doflamingo scoffed. "Where's the fun in that?"

The navigator rubbed his head. "I swear, do you even have a plan?" He asked sarcastically. "I mean, _ever_?"

"Of course I do!" Doflamingo protested. "It's a very effective three-step plan: I arrive, people try to kill me, and then I have lots of fun killing them. Often there are large explosions involved, as well."

"That's literally the worst plan I've ever heard."

"Really?"Doflamingo grinned. "That's weird. It just keeps on happening."

* * *

After two days of walking, Bartholomew Kuma finally reached a large town. He wasn't quite sure which town, or where it was, but that was definitely better than not being in a town at all.

Kuma was a very large teenager. His body was so big that he walked with a constant slouch just so he could fit through doorways. He was podgy and fat, and his shoulders were so broad he looked vaguely spherical. His legs, perhaps crushed under the weight of his bulk, were short and dumpy. It caused his arms, as thick as tree trunks, to hang close to the ground.

He had a large head, with wide, circular eyes and his face was fixed in a near-constant state of confusion. There were lots of things that confused Kuma. He wasn't necessarily _stupid_ ; but he was very simple-minded and slow, which made it hard for a lot of people to tell the difference.

As he stomped quietly into the town, still looking intently at his map, few people spared him a second glance. Despite his huge bulk, there was something about his wide-eyed innocence and naivety that seemed to encourage unprovoked hostility. Children threw stones at him as he passed.

As he entered a large marketplace, shopkeepers stared at him suspiciously. Kuma was dressed in a tattered white shirt and grey shorts, wearing old sandals that had been worn down by constant travelling. Even his huge bulk was overshadowed by the huge, overfilled backpack across his shoulders. Combined with his slouching walk, it made him look like he was using his backpack as an umbrella. There was a distinct vagabond look about him, and that made shopkeepers instantly disliked him.

As a matter of fact; lots of people instantly disliked him.

Kuma stopped in the centre of the town. It was a really loud, busy town, filled with winding streets. Kuma was already lost, but that didn't matter because he never really knew where he was to begin with. He stopped for a couple of minutes, trying to decide where to go.

 _I should head north_ , he decided finally.

Now he just needed to figure out which direction north was.

He scratched his head, thinking hard. Slowly, an idea came to him, as he remembered the advice his Grandma always gave to him: _If you're lost, then ask for directions_.

Kuma hesitantly approached a nearby house, before tapping on the door politely. It opened barely.

"Good evening, sir!" Kuma began in his politest and most squeaky voice. "I appear to be lost and I was hoping you could help–"

"Bugger off!" An irritated voice snapped, before the door slammed into his face.

Kuma paused for a few seconds, before he stomped off and walked around to the house next door. He knocked politely, and the door opened suspiciously.

"Good evening, madam! I am looking for someone, and would you be so kind to–"

The door slammed in his face again. Kuma moved onto the next house in the street.

The third house never even bothered to open the door, but instead just poured at bucket dirty water at him from above. Kuma stood perfectly still, soaking wet, for a few minutes, before deciding he should try the next house.

The street stretched as far as the eye could see, with terraced houses on both sides.

 _This is going to be a long day_ , Kuma sighed with resignation.

* * *

As the ship was pulling up to the port, Doflamingo was nearly bouncing with excitement. Mihawk stood by the prow, looking over Loguetown critically.

"There are lots of Marines here," Mihawk said finally. The town was dominated by a huge Marine base in the centre, and there were several Marine outposts covering the docks. They weren't flying a pirate flag yet, mostly because they never had one, but Loguetown really didn't seem like a friendly town for pirates.

Doflamingo shrugged. "There'll be a lot less Marines by the time we leave," he grinned arrogantly.

Their ship was slowly approaching the dock, with Crocodile at the helm. Mihawk jumped down and moored the caravel to the harbour, while Crocodile dropped the anchor.

"If you make a scene, you can't get into the Grand Line," Crocodile said simply.

That caused Doflamingo to frown. "Uh… that's no fun."

The trio slowly pushed the gangway down and exited the ship, arriving in a bustling port filled with people. The port was packed with ships being loaded and unloaded, and there were marines watching at every corner. The white uniforms stuck out of the crowd like a sore thumb.

Doflamingo glanced around the port slowly, before reaching a decision. "Alright, _fine_ ," he said grouchily. "Let's keep a low profile. We'll stick together in a group, get what we need, and then we'll be gone in a couple of hours, max. Remember, we just need to… to…"

Slowly, Doflamingo's voice trailed off as he watched a figure walk past him. A woman, incredibly beautiful, was walking across the boardwalk and the rest of the crowd parted for her. She was wearing a white hat and a large shawl that covered her body, but Doflamingo was still hypnotised by the way her hips rocked. Then the woman glanced around and saw Doflamingo staring.

She smiled slyly.

Suddenly, Doflamingo felt all of his priorities change.

"Ok; new plan," he said quickly, turning back to Crocodile and Mihawk. "We're going to leave first thing _tomorrow_ morning. Let's each do our own thing for the rest of the night, yeah?"

Crocodile rolled his eyes with despair as he watched Doflamingo run quickly through the crowd after the beautiful woman. Mihawk scoffed at his captain.

"Oh, this is not going to end well," Mihawk commented, looking through the crowd. Doflamingo was shoving his way through a crowd of civilians, already attracting the attention of every marine officer around.

Mihawk watched Doflamingo go with vague interest, before he glimpsed a sight through the corner of his eye. It was a figure wearing a green robe, with three swords on his belt. At once, every instinct Mihawk had flared up…

 _If Doflamingo is arrested, things could get awkward_ , Crocodile thought with frustration. Sighing, the navigator said to the swordsman. "Could you go after him?" He asked reluctantly. "Make sure that he doesn't get–"

Crocodile turned around just to realise that Mihawk was already walking away in the opposite direction, with a very murderous look on his face.

The navigator suppressed a groan, but he never really knew why had expected any different. _I wanted someone brash and loud to attract attention_ , Crocodile reminded himself; _The plan would still work_ …

Nevertheless, he couldn't afford to sit and wait for the other crew members. He needed information, and Crocodile had some contacts in Loguetown that were still open to him. Crocodile frowned, thinking carefully about his next move.

As he thought, a very large, pudgy teenager, walking with a slump and carrying a huge backpack, approached Crocodile hesitantly.

"Excuse me, sir," the large teenager asked nervously. "Do you know where –?"

"Scram off," Crocodile ordered without even a second thought, already walking away.

The teenager sighed miserably, before moving on to find someone else to ask.

* * *

Doflamingo caught up with the beautiful woman just as she sat down at a seedy bar by the docks. A woman as beautiful as her had three guys swooning around her in an instant.

Without hesitation, Doflamingo ran straight up to bar and tackled the first guy to the ground. The second one was thrown out the door with one hand, while the third one was crippled by a swift kick to the crotch. As the other men all staggered away, Doflamingo sat confidently down on the bar stool next to beautiful woman, and flashed a large grin.

She was staring at him with vague amusement.

" _Hey_ ," Doflamingo said, shamelessly. "How _you_ doing?"

The woman chuckled slightly. "Does that line work often?"

"I believe in the classics."

"Cute."

"I get that a lot," Doflamingo placed a handful of notes on the bar, ordering drinks. Nobody in the bar seemed that shocked about the three men he had just beat up – but in a bar like this it probably wasn't that unusual. "What can I get you?"

"How about some privacy?" The woman said smoothly, but her eyes were playful.

"Privacy is overrated," Doflamingo grinned. "But company is golden."

The barman dropped two drinks down in front of them. Doflamingo had no idea what was in them, but so long as it was alcoholic, it was fine.

"You're way out of your league, kid," the beautiful woman said finally. "But you do get points for effort."

"Can at least get a name?"

She considered it for half a second, before extending her hand. "Alvida," she introduced herself. "Lady Alvida."

Doflamingo took the hand eagerly. "Donquixote Doflamingo," he replied happily. "And it is my _pleasure_."

Alvida smirked slyly. "Oh, _I know_."

* * *

Kuma was stomping down another street miserably, while he still tried to figure out where he was. As a matter of fact, Kuma was still trying to figure out everything.

It was getting late, and Kuma never had anywhere to sleep for the night. The sun was slowly setting over the buildings. Perhaps he should start looking a comfortable bridge to pitch a tent under…

As he walked through the marketplace, a delicious scent hit his nostril and his stomach started to growl loudly. His stomach growled like a bear so loudly that the people next to him actually jumped. Kuma followed the smell to a nearby stall, selling freshly baked pastries hot out of the oven.

The teenager looked so long he was practically drooling, while the baker eyed him with weary care. Eagerly, Kuma started rummaging through his deep pockets, desperately trying to find some coins. All he managed to pull out was a button and a very suspicious piece of gum.

Kuma sighed in disappointment, before a nervous expression settled on his face. Kuma glanced in both directions in what he thought was a discreet movement, and then started to edge closer to the delicious pastries lying out on the stall…

The baker was still looking at him with obvious distrust. "Don't even think about it," the baker warned coldly.

The large boy's shoulders slumped even further in disappointment, before he turned and started to slowly walk away, glancing behind him in a not-so-subtle movement. Just as he was about to pass the stallm with very small steps, his hand reached out behind him with delicate care, heading towards the pastries…

And then the baker threw his rolling pin at him. The wooden pin bounced off Kuma's head with a dull thud, and Kuma flinched in shock. The baker was still glaring at the teenager with his arms crossed.

Kuma's stomach roared with hunger again, but the wide-eyed Kuma stomped away like a hurt little puppy.

* * *

Mihawk stared at his target with furious intensity, his fingers twitching for his blade. The figure was wearing green robes, a black bandanna, with three swords on his hip. That alone was enough to provoke Mihawk's complete and utter hatred.

The figure stumbled through the crowd, and Mihawk followed, his hand on his blade, closely behind. Images of Roronoa Zoro flashed before his eyes, and suddenly the swordsman was practically growling for blood.

His target walked down an alley, and then met up with two other people dressed in similar attire. Suddenly, something primal triggered in his brain and Mihawk charged forward, flourishing his blade in a furious arc.

" _Who are you and what is your relation to Roronoa Zoro?!_ " Mihawk demanded of the three people, jamming his blade against the first one's throat.

Mihawk didn't really know what he was expecting, but it wasn't this. The first one, a large fat and pasty man, practically fainted as soon as Mihawk drew his sword. The second, a skinny and spotty teenager, wet his pants as Mihawk appeared. The third, a young woman with large glasses, started stammering nonsensically.

Mihawk didn't even twitch his blade, but his eyes did flicker uncertainly.

All three of them were had three blades and were wearing the same clothes as Roronoa Zoro, but up close Mihawk could see that all the blades were made out of wood, and the robes were a cheap rip-off and much too baggy for them.

Suddenly, all three of them started to stutter and stammer out vague explanations.

"…It's not what you think… I mean, I don't _know_ what you think, but there's obviously some sort of mix-up…"

"… Please… just take my wallet… but please leave the trading cards – they're collector's editions…"

"… Don't kill us! I'm too young to die! I have three cats that would starve without me…"

As the three of them broke down into a snivelling mess, Mihawk started to feel slightly embarrassed.

"… we didn't do anything wrong… but… well, of course, you wouldn't know what we didn't do cause that just doesn't…"

"…see what I mean? Limited edition, there's only twenty in the world… you can take my cash, though, I have… let's see… twenty Beli and a stick of gum…"

"…I have a goldfish too! Named Steve! Well, maybe the cats wouldn't starve straight away, but Steve definitely won't survive! Do you really want the murder of a goldfish on your head...?"

Mihawk was staring at the three of them with open disbelief. They were almost tripping over each other as they were running around like headless chickens. " _Enough_!" Mihawk snapped. "Just tell me; _what is your relation with Roronoa Zoro_?"

"We don't! I mean, sure we _do_ , because we're dressed like him, but we have never actually _met_ –"

"Hey! I've met him before!"

"Oh sure…" The skinny one said sarcastically. "You've "met" him. Right around the time he came round to your house, huh? Wished you a happy birthday?"

"No, I swear it! I saw him during the last Marine excursion, back at the assault on Crabton–"

"Please! Everyone knows that that Zoro-sighting was just a hoax. It was proven in the…"

"Oh… I _wish_ I've _met_ him before…" The girl with glasses sighed, a glazed look in her eyes.

Mihawk was staring at the three of them with open disbelief, jamming his blade slightly closer to the fat one's throat. "Who the hell are you?!" He demanded.

As one, they glanced at each other. "We're his _fan club_ ," the fat one explained finally. " _The Roronoa Zoro Fan Club_."

There was a long pause. Mihawk took a deep breath, trying to believe what he was hearing.

"His fan club." Mihawk said finally.

There were nervous nods. Mihawk cleared his throat.

Apparently, Mihawk's arch-nemesis had a fan club…

" _HIS FAN CLUB?!_ "

* * *

Back in the bar, Alvida was enjoying herself. Doflamingo was nearly half her age and way over his head, but he was persistent and good company. Besides, Alvida always had a soft spot for adoring men.

He was funny, handsome and cute, so Alvida was quite content with playing with him for a while. After all, she was stuck in Loguetown to observe Cabaji, Mohiji and the other misfits, so she might as well have some fun…

As Doflamingo went to the toilet, Alvida slyly leant over and called the barman. She handed over a large wad of money.

"I want you to swap all of his drinks for the hard stuff," she smirked, pressing the money into the barman's hand. She might as well make it interesting. "Make sure he doesn't notice."

The barman nodded in understanding, and then reached under the counter to bring up a large barrel of clear liquid. Most tavern ale was so weak it was an alternative to water, but this was liquor brewed in a shed in someone's farm. It had so much proof it could convict a World Noble. You could use this stuff as window cleaner.

When Doflamingo came back, the barman served Alvida the weak ale, but filled Doflamingo's mug with hard liquor. He drank it just the same, and it wasn't long before Doflamingo was swaying in his seat.

Five humorous minutes later, Doflamingo blinked several times, before talking in a slurred voice. "You're _pretty_ ," he belched. " _Really_ pretty. You want to get naked with me?"

Alvida giggled at that, but didn't respond. Doflamingo laughed too, and then he fell off his stool. She stared him like he was an amusingly silly animal.

Doflamingo was now starting intently at a picture of tiger hanging off one of the walls. "That's a cat," he said with certainty. "Do you see it? That's definitely a cat. Yep, definitely a cat. I don't like cats. I once punched a big cat in the face. Right in the face."

Suddenly, a glimmer of realisation hit Alvida. "Wait a minute…" She realised. "You wouldn't happen to be a pirate, would you?"

Doflamingo grinned. "Yep, definitely a pirate. Not an eye patch, because that would be silly…"

He slipped off his stool again. Alvida continued, "Tell me, have you ever meant some men called Cabaji and Mohji, by any chance?"

"Cabaji and Mohji… Cabbage and Mohage…" Doflamingo slurred. "Oh! I remember! The greasy hair unicycle dude and the guy with teddy bear ears! They were fun! I beat them up _real_ good!"

" _Oh_ …" Alvida nodded in sudden understanding.

 _What were the chances that one of the guys she was looking for just happened to hit on her_? Still, Alvida wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. She started to laugh loudly.

Doflamingo was laughing too. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing important," Alvida said sweetly. "Can you do me a favour? I dropped my ear-ring on the floor; could you look for it?"

Doflamingo agreed happily, and then bent over in his seat and started staring at the ground. As soon as he was looking away, Alvida casually took out her iron mace from under her shawl and hit Doflamingo squarely on the back of the head.

The teenager dropped to the ground like a rag doll, totally unconscious.

Alvida glanced down at the sleeping pirate, and then looked around the bar. Nobody in the tavern seemed to think that hitting your date over the head with an iron mace was anything unusual.

"Well," Alvida said finally. "That was easy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Notes
> 
> First introduction of Kuma! I had a lot of fun with that one.
> 
> With all the characters, I try to make them same as they are in canon. Different experiences, different perspectives, but the same personality. 
> 
> But with Kuma, I realised that you've never actually seen his personality. All through the series, Kuma has only been shown in various stages of cyborg-nisaton from Vegapunk, and so his 'real' personality is still unknown. This Kuma is before he's been turned into a cyborg, and before he's eaten his Devil fruit. Hence, I've used creative license, although a lot of it is based on the pictures of the Shichibukai as children that Oda gave in an SBS.
> 
> In this story, if I have to give Kuma an animal comparison, then I would call him an overgrown teddy bear. He's big, soft, completely clueless, and naïvely innocent.
> 
> Still, Kuma is a teddy bear that might someday grow up to be a ferocious grizzly… :)
> 
> This is start of the Loguetown arc, and it will start with four distinct storylines:
> 
> -Doflamingo getting drunk,
> 
> -Mihawk vs Zoro's groupies,
> 
> -Crocodile being Crocodile,
> 
> -Kuma wandering around helplessly.
> 
> Still, the storylines are all going to come together quickly. There'll be lots of action in this arc; I just need to set it up first.
> 
> Next chapter: A certain marine Captain doesn't take kindly to the pirates causing trouble…


	11. Tashigi was NOT Dumped by Zoro

There was an awkward silence as Mihawk and the three groupies sat down at a nearby café. Mihawk's blade was still in his hand, unsheathed, and the Roronoa Zoro fan club was looking nervous. Mihawk hadn't been blinking at all.

"Um… Excuse me, miss?" The fat one, who'd been introduced as Dwayne, called out to a waitress. "Can we have a three large sodas, one portion of chips, a club sandwich, and a chocolate fudge cake? Do you guys want anything?" He hesitantly looked to Mihawk. "How about you…?"

If looks could kill, then he would have been repeatedly stabbed to death. Dwayne gulped uneasily. "No, it looks like we're alright here," he said weakly to the waitress, who scuttled away.

The awkward silence returned with a vengeance. All eyes were suddenly on Dwayne, who shifted in his chair. "What?" He asked defensively. "I get hungry when I'm nervous…"

Mihawk did not respond. The very fact that everyone else at the table was even dressed as Roronoa Zoro was sparking every murderous instinct the swordsman had. He stared between each of them, like a bird of prey sizing up its target.

Finally, the skinny one, Ando, spoke up uncertainly, raising his hand like a nervous school child. "Excuse me… mister…" He stuttered, glancing down at the sharp blade in Mihawk's hand. "Do you think you could put the sword away?"

Mihawk was silent for a long time. "No," he replied eventually.

Ando dropped back in his seat. The girl, called Kimiko, straightened her glasses nervously. "What do you want with us?" She muttered.

"You're going to tell me everything you know about Roronoa Zoro," Mihawk replied, keeping his tone of voice very calm through great force of will. "Where he lives, who his friends are, where I can find him, and what's the best way of killing him. And then, I'm going to go on my way and never look at any of you again."

The three of them shared glances. After half a second, Kimiko dug down into her rucksack and pulled out a tattered pile of papers. "This is the manuscript of a book we're writing on Zoro," she explained slowly, pushing the papers towards Mihawk. "It's a biography…"

The swordsman glanced downwards at the title. "'Roronoa Zoro- Legendary Awesomeness of the Greatest'…"Mihawk read carefully.

"It's a working title," Ando muttered sheepishly.

Mihawk started to flick through the pages. The word 'badass' appeared several dozen times in the first page alone.

"That's actually what we're doing in the East Blue," Dwayne explained. "We're on a _pilgrimage_ – retracing the life of Zoro…"

"It was the club president's idea," Ando added, with a small smile. "The president is the biggest Zoro fan in the universe, so he sent us on this quest…"

There was a small nod. "Zoro was born in the East Blue?" Mihawk asked finally.

"Yes, it's the most perfect story ever!" Kimiko squealed with excitement. "He was entrusted with his first sword by his childhood crush, and then he went on to singlehandedly defeat the evil Axe Hand Morgan after eighty days of fasting, and then he broke the fleet of Don Kreig in a single blow, and he's the most…"

Mihawk started staring at her again. She quickly shut up. "It's all in the book," she murmured.

"So where is Zoro _now_?" Mihawk asked eventually. Most of the 'book' was a mess of scribbles and alterations.

Dwayne shrugged. "In the New World, I guess. Information doesn't really flow freely out of the Grand Line, and the Marines have been extra tight lately."

"There've been rumours that Zoro's crew has fallen apart, mind," Ando noted. "No one's really sure what happened, but they've definitely been moving around separately recently. Lots of big names have been moving, actually…"

Mihawk paused reading through the book. "Wait…" He muttered. "You said you were retracing Zoro's past. So what's in Loguetown about Zoro's past?"

Kimiko cleared her throat. "It's a more of a matter of whom," she said. "We were… trying to get an interview with the Marine captain that runs this town."

"You mean this captain has fought Zoro?"

She nodded. "Yes, they used to fight. They used to fight a lot, actually. And then later, well… they kind of used to _date_."

For a second, Mihawk was confused. "Date? You mean like…"

Dwayne smirked. "Yep – _date_." He paused. "Although, by all accords, they used to date very violently."

"The captain who runs this town is a woman called Tashigi," Ando clarified. "And she used to be Zoro's girlfriend. And she… well… she didn't really take it very well after they broke up…"

* * *

In the Marine base at the centre of the town, the atmosphere was tense. It was always tense in this base, as a matter fact. It was a much whispered rumour that being stationed at Loguetown was about as safe as a career juggling flamethrowers.

The marines were out in the yard early. No order had been given, but they were already in formation and standing to attention. The base was spotless. Every cannon had been cleaned, every rifle was polished. The floors had been cleaned to perfection, and every shoe was so shiny it could be used as a mirror. The creases on every soldier's uniform were so sharp they could cut butter.

Still, they were all nervous as slowly the clocked ticked towards seven o clock, and their commanding officer was about to start the evening inspection.

As soon as the clock started to chime, the doors burst open with sudden impact and a figure stomped out. Tashigi was tall, dark-haired, and lean. She filled out her uniform very well, with curves in all the right places, but the captain had been known to flog anyone who stared in the wrong way. Tashigi walked with a constant air of frustration, her face twisted in a scowl and her sword slung over her back.

"Lieutenant!" She snapped loudly. "Have all the dockets been completed?"

The marine snapped to attention in record time. Tashigi had been known to flog anyone who didn't respond fast enough. "Yes ma'am! Filled out and filed, ma'am!"

"Has the inventory been sorted?"

"Yes ma'am! Alphabetically and numerically, ma'am!"

"Equipment requisitions?"

"Cleaned and sorted, ma'am!" A bead of sweat was falling down the lieutenant's brow now.

Tashigi paused for half a second. " _The lost and found box?_ " She demanded eventually.

The lieutenant stuttered. "I'm so sorry, ma'am! It slipped my mind, ma'am! I'll do it right away!"

"Leave it," Tashigi barked. "Do better tomorrow, lieutenant, or I will have you demoted for incompetence."

The assembled marines were standing so straight they could have been used for a ruler. They saluted in perfect synchronisation.

"Stand down!" Tashigi ordered sharply. "Why is everyone waiting around here? It's past seven, start your evening rounds already!"

At once, they broke ranks and started hurrying away. The captain turned and announced to the whole base, "Listen up, soldiers! Piracy, thievery, vagrancy and disorder are at an all-time high! This ends _tonight_!" She proclaimed. The marines looked panicked.

"You will each do three rounds of the town and report into the base at the end of each shift!" Tashigi shouted loudly. "Anybody found slacking will be flogged. Any member of the public, civilian or otherwise, found outside after nightfall will be slammed into the cells. As of this moment, curfew is now in effect!"

There were assembled shouts of 'Yes ma'am!'. One marine, a new transfer most likely, dared to raise his hand.

"Curfew on whose authority, ma'am?" The marine asked smartly. Around him, everyone else tried desperately to get away from him without actually moving.

Tashigi was on the brave questioner in an instant. " _Mine_ ," she snarled. "Name and rank, marine?"

He saluted again. "Chief Petty Officer Campbell, ma'am!"

"Guards!" Tashigi ordered without hesitation. "Please escort _Petty Officer_ Campbell here to be flogged for insubordination!"

Campbell looked shocked. Tashigi was already stomping away to harass some other poor marine. The guards that came to escort Campbell away looked at the man with clear sympathy.

After a few seconds, the Petty Officer thought that the captain was a safe enough distance away, and made the worse mistake of his life.

"Wow…" He muttered under his breath, barely more than a whisper. "She's such a bitch. No wonder Zoro dumped her."

As soon as the words came out, the whole base froze. Everyone who heard them started to run for cover. Campbell looked confused, but then he realised that Tashigi had stopped suddenly moving.

There had been many poor men over the years that had learnt, much to their misfortune, that Tashigi had very good hearing for things whispered behind her back.

The Petty Officer didn't even have time to look scared. With a flash of movement, Tashigi was instantly standing behind him, and sheathing her sword slowly.

Petty Officer Campbell's severed head bounced off the ground in the silent courtyard.

Nobody dared to make a sound.

"Let me make this clear…" Tashigi muttered finally, her voice thick with poison and her hands trembling with rage. "…I was _NOT_ dumped by Roronoa Zoro. _I_. _Broke_. _Up_. _With_. _Him_!"

* * *

Mihawk blinked several times. "So let me get this straight…" he said finally. "Captain Tashigi was dumped by Roronoa Zoro?"

Ando nodded. "Yep. She got totally and utterly dumped."

"Although I hear it's not safe to say that around her," Dwayne noted nervously.

"That's not very nice," Kimiko scowled. "I hear it was a lot more complicated than that. They were just two star-crossed lovers in a tragic tale…"

Mihawk frowned. Dwayne looked around hesitantly, "You see, the relationship really didn't go well," he explained. "Tashigi was a Marine, Zoro was a pirate. It was fine when no one knew about it, but as soon as the rumours started to spread it went really bad for Tashigi.

"She used to be the favourite student of the current Admiral. She was on the fast track for promotion, but then the whole affair slandered her so much that her career was dead in the water," Dwayne recalled. "It was a bad for the Marines for one of their officers to be in a relationship with an infamous pirate.

"Nothing was _proven_ so there were never any _official_ repercussions, but things still went badly for her. She was kicked out of headquarters, the Admiral disavowed her, her career stagnated, and then she was shipped off to this Marine base because no one important wanted her around. The bad press destroyed her and then, just when things were at their all-time low…"

"…Zoro dumped her," Ando finished. "It was _brutal_. She's still a bit bitter about it."

Kimiko looked at Ando darkly, but didn't respond. Mihawk was quiet, but interested. Everything he learned about Zoro's life gave him an extra edge to use against him…

Just then, there were suddenly thunderous footsteps echoing all around the café. Mihawk was instantly alert and ready, while the other patrons were looking around with a mixture of shock and annoyance.

"Oh no…" Dwayne growled. "Is it that time again…?"

In the plaza opposing them, a squadron of Marines emerged from an alley, panting as they marched very quickly through the town. Around him, Mihawk could hear the distinctive footsteps of other Marines, marching through the town.

"What's happening?" The swordsman demanded sharply. The other patrons in the café were already filing away, while the owner was reluctantly putting up a 'closed' sign across the window.

"Curfew has been declared," Ando replied with exasperation. "It happens occasionally. All shops have to shut – all citizens have to return to their houses, all traders to their ships. The town is on lockdown."

The rest of the fan club was itching to move. The marines were still stomping through the town ominously.

Mihawk scowled. "But why?"

Dwayne just shrugged. "No idea. Captain Tashigi just declares it whenever she feels like it."

"She must be in a bad mood," Ando mused thoughtfully. "It's really weird how it seems to happen every month…"

Kimiko blushed but didn't say anything.

Mihawk was fidgeting now, gripping his blade tightly he looked at the soldiers filing through the town critically.

"It's no problem," Dwayne soothed nervously. "It just means that Marines will lock up anyone who's drunk or disorderly tonight."

That caused Mihawk to pause. His face paled as he thought about his captain. "Drunk or disorderly?" He muttered with frustration. "Oh… I have a bad feeling about this."

Without warning, the swordsman suddenly set of at a run through the town, leaving a bemused and afraid fan club in his wake.

* * *

On the other side of town, in an alley outside the bar, Alvida placed her hands on her hips as she stared at the unconscious Doflamingo lying on the dirty ground in front of her. It had been a very easy 'capture'. As a matter of fact, Alvida was slightly annoyed at how easy it had been.

On one hand, she, along with Cabaji and Mohji, had been arrived in Loguetown to kill two rookies, fifty percent of whom were currently unconscious in front of her. Perhaps the sensible thing would just be to kill this one while he slept and be done with it…

On the other hand, Alvida really didn't like Cabaji and Mohji. She never had, especially when they had been on the same boat together. _She_ was here to observe _them_ as they killed the two rookies, so Alvida was peeved at ending up doing half of their work for them.

Also, Alvida had snapped a nail as she carried Doflamingo out of the bar, and that just always put her in a bad mood.

"Hmm…" She mused, scratching her chin thoughtfully. "What am I going to do with you…?"

She _really_ didn't like Cabaji or Mohji. She hated Cabaji's stupid face and she hated all that grease that he dowsed over his hair. She hated all the fleas that Mohji got everywhere and she especially hated that he never _cleaned up_ after his lion…

It was a vague insult to even be on the same crew as them, even if they were on the other side of the world. If Buggy himself hadn't given her this order, then Alvida would have refused to come. Instead, she was stuck here and forced to watch over the pair of losers…

Actually, Alvida herself had no obligation to _help_ the two of them.

 _Actually_ , Alvida thought with an evil smile, _I have no obligation to even make it_ easy _for the two of them_ …

Around her, the sound of heavy footsteps filled the air. A crier was already marching down the streets, declaring that curfew was now in effect. Alvida glanced at a squad of marines that were marching passed. Alvida smirked, before faking a high-pitch squeal.

The marines reacted quickly. Men tended to react very quickly indeed when a beautiful women was screaming.

"Ma'am!" One of the marine panted, rushing over to her. For all his apparent professionalism, his eyes were focused firmly on Alvida's breasts. Alvida pretended not to notice. "What seems to be the problem?"

Alvida put her hands to her cheeks, resisting the temptation to roll her eyes. "Thank heavens you're here, officer!" Alvida gushed with sweetness. She pointed at the unconscious Doflamingo. " _This_ drunken buffoon assaulted me! I barely managed to fend him off! I shudder to think what he would have done…"

Doflamingo was currently passed out, filthy and stinking of booze. Alvida was beautiful and wearing expensive, _well-fitting_ clothing. It didn't even cross the marine's mind to doubt her. He saluted sharply, before ordering his men to restrain the prisoner.

Alvida couldn't resist the smirk as Doflamingo was thrown into iron cuffs and dragged away. The pirate was so drunk he didn't even stir as he was manhandled roughly.

"It's alright, ma'am!" The marine saluted again. Apparently, this marine thought that Alvida's eyes were on her chest. "That fiend will never bother you again!"

"Well, thank goodness for that!" Alvida simpered, wondering vaguely if she was putting it on too thick. The marine didn't seem to care, and he was standing and grinning like he was a triumphant hero. Alvida added, sweetly, "Make sure that you lock him up in a cell, will you?"

He nodded, eagerly. Alvida smiled. "Actually…" She continued. "Make sure that you lock him up in the deepest, _most secure_ , cell available…"

* * *

Bartholomew Kuma sighed as he stomped down to a deserted part of a town, and found a nice, cosy bridge to rest under for the night. The clouds were swirling ominously, and he really wanted to get some shelter.

It had been a very bad day. Kuma was lost, hungry, cold and tired. People had thrown things at him, insulted him, and generally been very, very mean. He didn't like this town, wherever it was. Kuma was so depressed that just dropped to the ground, and tried to snuggle up against a pile of rubbish.

At least it was nearly dark now, he thought miserably, and so my bad day is over. He would have a nice sleep, and then everything would be better in the morning…

"Oi, you!" A sharp voice called shrilly, followed by a high-pitched whistle. "Curfew is in effect!"

At once, Kuma's eyes shot open. He jumped to his feet (as quickly as his bulk could manage) and turned to stare at a squad of marines that were marching towards him.

"Awwww… no!" Kuma groaned loudly, rubbing his tired eyes and just wishing that it was over.

There were two blasts of the whistles, while the marines were charging closer. "Vagrancy is a crime!" One of the m declared, obviously sizing Kuma up. "All beggars are going in a cell for the night! Get him!"

"Eek!" Kuma squealed, quickly pulling his rucksack over his shoulders. He started running away, before stopping and trying to decide where he should.

Then, the marines were right behind him, and Kuma very quickly decided that anywhere was better than staying here.

Kuma lumbered down the road, his sandals hitting off the cobbles heavily, while the marines gave chase.

* * *

Crocodile frowned as he heard the footsteps and announcement that curfew had been established. It was bad timing, but it didn't matter. He was nearly at his destination. He was a bit concerned about his 'crewmates', but there was nothing he could do. Even if they were arrested for being out after curfew, the Marines would have to let them go in the morning. Neither of them had a bounty, so it would be fine.

As long the pair didn't try to do something stupid, like fight back against the Marines, there wouldn't be a problem.

Crocodile darted down the dark alleys, sticking to the shadows as the Marines marched past. He was in a dark side of town, filled with seedy shops and suspicious businesses. The Marines were coming down heavy, but everyone had already holed up for the night.

Still, Crocodile had an uneasy feeling in his gut as he approached his destination. He needed information about the current state of affairs in the Grand Line, and he had been out of touch recently. It would be suicide to try something without being properly prepared, so he had to come here. There weren't many information contacts that weren't directly related to the Syndicate, so Crocodile never had much choice.

Yet Crocodile just really, really, did not like this man. He was useful, and so Crocodile accepted him, but there was no friendship or even respect between the two of them. Crocodile thought the man was slimy, suspicious, and greedy.

Also, this man was too smart, verging on actually being _clever_. Crocodile didn't like it when anyone besides himself was clever; it made him feel like they were cheating.

He finally reached the shop, which mostly acting as a cover business for the owner's information broking. There was a creaky sign hanging over the rundown front, proclaiming 'The Candle Maker'.

Crocodile went straight to the backdoor and let himself in without knocking. Inside, it was dark, gloomy and smelled strongly of wax.

"You here?" Crocodile called out into the darkness.

A small flame burst into life as one of the many candles was light. In the corner of the room, Galdino grinned as he straightened his glasses. "Well, well, well…" The candle maker muttered, taking a sip of tea. "Long time no see, Crocodile… It looks like you need my help…"

* * *

When Doflamingo finally awoke, he was in a dark, very cramped cell. The only light was the flickering torches from the town, shining through a narrow slit of a window.

He was also still very drunk, so there may or may not have been pink flamingos flying around him.

With a groan, he pulled himself up and stared out of the window.

He was in the Marine base, in a cell on one of the upper floors and capable of staring out over the town. It was dark and it took him a long time to focus, but eventually he could make out the outlines of the buildings, and the movement as the marines marched through the streets.

Gradually, he looked upwards, where there were dark clouds swirling ominously. It looked like there was a miniature hurricane forming over the town. There was a strange storm brewing...

"Huh…" Doflamingo slurred finally, struggling to think clearly through his drunken haze. "That doesn't look nice…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First introduction of Tashigi, and I'm sorry if I've changed her personality too much. Her entire career was ruined after her relationship with Zoro, and she's been dealing with the rumours ever since for ten years. She's understandably a bit angry about it…
> 
> Also, the Roronoa Zoro fan club are all OCs, of course, but they're going to be in the background. They'll be recurring characters for a while, but nothing major.
> 
> Next chapter: Everything explodes (quite literally) – "Let's Start a Riot!"


	12. Let's Start a Riot, Part 1

"Looks like there's a storm brewing outside," Galdino noted, staring out of the window absentmindedly. The rain had come down hard and fast, and was already pounding against the window pane.

"I couldn't agree more," Crocodile agreed, not looking at the window. Crocodile slowly pulled out a cigar and lit it up.

The candle shop was illuminated by a dozen flickering candles of different shapes and sizes, and the white walls and smooth furnishing made the shop seem eerily bright. Galdino sat at counter in the middle of the floor, overlooking the entrance, while Crocodile walked in the back. There were candles everywhere, covering the walls and ceiling in such intricate shapes that it seemed like the building was being support by them.

Strangely, there was no sign of any candle making equipment.

Galdino smiled, taking another sip of tea. "That's a dangerous habit, Crocodile," he said, pointing to the cigar. "Don't you know those things will kill you?"

"I'm sure they'll try." There was a seat next to Galdino, but Crocodile didn't sit down.

"You know, the Boss has a pretty bad smoking habit, too," the candle-maker commented. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you're still following in his footsteps."

That caused Crocodile to bristle. The teenager frowned darkly. Galdino was far too smart to trust.

Galdino had worked as an information broker for years. Crocodile had even heard that he used to be a pirate, but if so then he must have been smart enough to lose his bounty. The 'candle-maker' had set up shop in the East Blue, and made a living on selling information to both sides of any conflict, and playing everyone against everyone. No matter who won, Galdino was always on the right side.

Still, that was what Crocodile was counting on. Every other contact was closed to him, but he knew that Galdino was always open. Admittedly, there was a one in a million chance that Crocodile could actually beat the Boss, but Galdino wouldn't take that risk. Galdino would give Crocodile the information he needs, and then go to the Boss and tell him exactly what happened.

"Let's not mince words," Crocodile replied coolly. "You know exactly what I want here."

Galdino stirred his cup of tea slowly. "I make a point of asking my clients to say it aloud."

Crocodile leant across the table. "I want information. I want to know about the Syndicate's movements. I want their freighter timetables and their cargo manifests. I want their clients and their suppliers. I want rumours and I want facts."

Galdino didn't even raise an eyebrow. Crocodile's voice darkened, "And, most importantly, I want _the Boss's_ location."

The candle-maker paused. "Can you afford all that?"

"You'll get you're pay when you sell me out to the Syndicate," Crocodile countered.

Galdino grinned. "It seems to me that I could just sell you out and not give you any information."

"You could," Crocodile took a deep breath of his cigar. "But you would get more money if I told you my _plans_ , so you could sell that on to the Boss. And I will only tell you my plans if you give me the information I need."

Outside, lightning flashed against the stormy clouds. Galdino straightened his glasses. "Now that's interesting. But I only deal with _accurate_ information. What guarantee do I have that you'll tell me the truth?"

"I'll tell the truth because I want the Boss to know what I'm planning," Crocodile explained with a smirk. "I'm going to tell you exactly what my plan is, and then you're going to sell that information to the Boss. And the Boss is going to be waiting for me, and then I'm going to kill him."

" _I see_ ," Galdino agreed. "So you're going for the double bluff, then? Or is a triple bluff? I swear, eventually it doesn't even make a difference…"

Crocodile forced a smile. "Let's not pretend here. You're a smart man. You know as well as I do that it's better for you to be on both sides of this conflict than neither. You're going to give me what I need, because you're a careful man and you want to be safe."

Galdino thought about it for a few seconds. They kept eye contact constantly, trying to judge who was playing who. The answer, of course, was that they were both playing each other, but then the question became 'who was the better the player?'

Finally, Galdino smirked and leant back in his chair. "Alright, I'll tell you what you need," he conceded. "But I don't work on credit. _You_ go first."

Crocodile took a deep breath. This was it. His whole plan hinged on this moment…

"I'm taking a rookie crew into the Grand Line," Crocodile explained dryly, his face completely impassive. "I will be passing through Whalebone in a few days. The first stop is Whiskey Peak, where I'll be stopping to gather allies. After that, I'm taking a freighter straight to Drum Kingdom, to kill the Boss."

There was a moment's silence. Galdino nodded simply, but there was no doubt he was thinking hard. Crocodile's face was emotionless, but his eyes were drilling holes straight into Galdino, trying to see into his brain. The statement hung in the air, tempting Galdino to take the bait. It didn't matter whether the plan was true or not.

All that mattered was whether the Boss believed.

The only difference between a double and a triple bluff was who blinked first.

"Hmm…" Galdino muttered finally. "Whiskey Peak, eh? Now there's an interesting choice."

"I like to be unpredictable," Crocodile replied coolly.

The candle-maker chuckled. Outside, the wind shook the roof thunderously, threatening to tear the whole shop down. "Trust me, Crocodile…" Galdino grinned. "You are the most _predictable_ person on the planet."

Crocodile didn't respond. Slowly, Galdino stood up, and walked across the room, and carefully pulled a file of papers out of a nearby cabinet. He slid the file across the table, without coming near Crocodile.

"This contains all the information you need…"

Crocodile grabbed the file instinctively. It was very thin. He opened it carefully, and inside there was a single sheet of paper, with a short paragraph on it in curly handwriting:

_THE SYNDICATE IS ALREADY HERE, AND ARE WAITING OUTSIDE. THEY'VE SET UP BARRICADES AROUND THE PORT, AND THEY'RE AFTER YOUR HEAD. GOOD LUCK ESCAPING FROM THE TOWN._

_YOURS SINCERELY,_

_GALDINO_

The teenager never responded for a long time. Galdino sat back down on his chair, and returned to drinking his tea. "If I was a _really_ smart man…" Galdino mused calmly. "I would figure it would only be a matter of time before you headed back to the Grand Line. And then I would figure that it would only be a matter of time before you came to me for information. So then I might even go so far as to bribe the marines at the port to keep an eye out for me, and I might send a message to a couple of Syndicate agents working in the area…"

Crocodile forced himself to stay perfectly calm. Galdino was so smart he was almost clever…

"I see…" Crocodile said finally. "So I suppose you've taken a side?"

"As much as the Boss will pay for your whereabouts," Galdino shrugged. "He will pay much more for your dead body."

"Indeed." Crocodile took a deep breath of his cigar, thinking quickly. Neither of them made any sudden movements. Crocodile stared at Galdino carefully, sizing him up.

After a couple of seconds, Galdino finally spoke, "The Boss is running business in Fishman Island for the next two weeks. He will be back in Drum in three weeks' time, minimum."

Crocodile smirked. "Three weeks, hmm? I can work with that…"

They shared a conspiratorial glance. "Looks like everything will collide in the Drum Kingdom…" Galdino mused. "Perhaps I need to make a trip."

"I'll save you a seat," Crocodile promised, before asking. "Tell me, which window do you dislike the most in this building?"

The candle-maker chuckled, before pointing towards a window at the rear shop, opposite the front door. Crocodile nodded with satisfaction, before standing up and walking slowly towards the front door. The teenager was sure to crumple the piece of paper from the file as he walked.

He pushed the door open carefully, letting the rain splatter out into the shop, and Crocodile stared with a completely surprise at the figure in the doorway.

"Good evening," he greeted with forced pleasantry, recognising the man who was walking into the shop. "What can I get for you, _Cinco_?"

Cinco was a tall, dark-skinned man with black dreadlocked hair. He wore a brown trench coat that was dripping with rain water, a pink cravat, and a pair of dark sunglasses. Cinco walked into the shop slowly, idly picking his nose.

"I thought the Boss made it very clear on what would happen if you ever entered the Grand Line again," Cinco said smugly. Behind him, there were the dark shadows of several men taking up positions. "And yet, _here you are_. I'm here to remind you that the Syndicate doesn't make empty threats…"

There was a tense silence. Crocodile didn't move. Behind Crocodile, Galdino was hiding his tea cups safely under the counter. Cinco kept on picking his nose. The Syndicate agents that were filing up in front of the shop were shifting in preparation, and Crocodile heard the distinctive clicks of guns being loaded.

"Well, be that as it may…" Crocodile mused finally, taking a finally breath of his cigar. "…there is one very important question you need to ask yourself…"

Crocodile smirked. "Do you _really_ think you're good enough to stop _me_?"

Everyone moved in a blur. At once, Crocodile was flicking his cigar at Cinco's face and letting the hot ash blind him, and following it through with a wave of sand bursting from his fingertips. Cinco was hit directly in the chest and knocked backwards, only to knock into his men still standing in the doorway.

"You bastard…" Cinco growled, feeling the cut over his chest from where the sand flayed him. With an angry motion, Cinco raised his leg into the air, before slamming it to the ground.

Instantly, his foot exploded, sending a shockwave barrelling through the candle shop.

Crocodile was already moving. The teenager was instantly diving backwards, and sprinting towards the back of the shop. Through the corner of his eye, he glimpsed Galdino waving his hands and covering himself in a dome of white wax. Cinco was already preparing another attack, this time picking a booger out of his nose and taking aim with his fingers. He flicked it easily, and the explosive bogey detonated to the right of Crocodile.

Yet Crocodile was already smashing through the window at the back of the shop, and he was diving out of the window as the explosion scorched the edge of his coat.

The drenching rain soaked him to the bone in seconds. In the rain, his Sand Sand fruit was less than half as effective, but Crocodile had no time to be annoyed. Around him, there were men in dark uniforms that were reacting quickly, and drawing guns as Crocodile fled down the street in a flash.

"After him, you fools!" Crocodile heard Cinco's voice echoing across the buildings angrily. The candle-shop was alit with flames, and was already blazing brightly like a… well, like a giant candle.

There were Syndicate agents everywhere, already swarming across the street. Crocodile couldn't even curse in the time it took them to block the exit. There were loud footsteps coming behind him, and an infuriated Cinco was already charging from behind, drawing a flintlock out of a holster.

"You won't escape, Crocodile!" Cinco promised, loading the flintlock with his own explosive breath before taking aim. The flintlock was an old model, a .44 calibre 6 shot revolver, but still a fierce weapon. Crocodile barely managed to duck to the ground while the six bullets exploded around on the cobbles around him.

The Syndicate agent was already swiftly reloading. The other men were all aiming weapons too, and Crocodile had to move. In a second, Crocodile was leaping up the side of a building, and clambering on to the roof. The wind was so strong it threatened to throw him off. The bullets from below punched holes in the stone building.

Crocodile kept on running. He glimpsed the Syndicate following him from the street below, but he never had any time to stop and stare. From his vantage point, Crocodile could see the shapes as the agents swarmed around him.

 _They're too well prepared_ , Crocodile cursed silently. At this rate, he would never last until morning. Even if he did, the Syndicate would trap his ship in the harbour, and he'd be stuck here.

But that wasn't even the worst of it. Crocodile could also see the torches as the marines patrolled the streets. At this rate, he was likely to be trapped between the Syndicate's hit squad and Marine's blockade.

 _Caught between gangsters and marines_ , Crocodile mused, thinking furiously. He needed to leave as soon as possible, and he needed to gather the others quickly. He needed to throw off the Syndicate, and he needed to distract the Marines.

 _I need something big, loud and chaotic_ …

"I need a _riot_ ," Crocodile growled unwillingly, before turning around and running in the opposite direction. Cinco and his men gave chase, trying to cut him off from the street below. Crocodile darted over the rooftops, treading carefully on the wet roof tiles, all the while the agents took shots from below.

It might have only been thirty seconds, but Crocodile's heart was beating so furiously it felt like an hour of running. Finally, he glimpsed the lights in the distance, and the sign that hung over the old building. It was the only tavern in town that was still open, despite the storm, the curfew, and the time of night…

Just as his target was in sight, a figure blocked his path. Cinco had finally found a way up to the rooftops, and was standing with his arms folded in front of Crocodile.

"You won't escape me," Cinco smirked, not moving out the way as Crocodile kept on sprinting towards him. Crocodile growled but had nowhere else to go. Instead, he just braced himself and tackled Cinco straight in the chest, diving off the two-story drop to the street below.

As soon as Crocodile's shoulder barrelled into Cinco, the agent's body exploded in a huge fireball. Crocodile was sent flying from the shockwave, his overcoat scorched to pieces, before landing in a heap on the stone cobbles.

The tavern was close now. Crocodile tried to stagger to his fight, but Cinco had already recovered and was taking aim with his revolver. The six explosive rounds hit Crocodile directly in the back, and the impact sent the teenager flying through the air and crashing into the tavern.

Crocodile exploded through the window in a hail of glass. Inside the tavern, it was loud and crowded, packed full of large men with swords, yet as soon as Crocodile barrelled through the window the atmosphere become dead and all eyes were on the sudden intruder.

The teenager was soaking wet, bruised and beating. His expensive coat and his fancy suit was tattered and burnt, and he was bleeding from numerous cuts across his body. He was filthy and dirty, and suddenly there were a dozens of angry and suspicious eyes glaring at him with shock.

The footsteps from outside were a clear indicator of all the men that were charging to kill him.

With an exasperated sigh, Crocodile pulled himself off the ground and staggered over to the bar, dropping on to one of the stools. The bartender was looking at him with a mixture of speechless shock and outrage, holding a rifle close to hand.

Crocodile just sighed deeply. "I really need a beer," the teenager admitted finally, throwing over a handful of coins.

Nobody responded. The next second, the door flew inwards and Cinco strutted inside the tavern, staring at Crocodile triumphantly. The Syndicate agents were filing in around him. The patrons of the tavern didn't react, only stared intently at the scene that was unfolding in their bar, yet all hands were on weapons.

Cinco seemed oblivious to the mood of the tavern he had just walked into. The hit man just chuckled while looking at Crocodile slumped over the bar. "I've got you now," he proclaimed smugly, reloading his revolver. "Are you going to come with us or do we need to drag you out?"

 _I didn't even get my beer…_ Crocodile thought miserably. Analytically, Crocodile looked around the tavern, judging the mood and atmosphere.

Cinco just laughed. "You really are a fool," he mocked, throwing his hand around him. "This is a tavern for _bounty hunters_. No one is going to help you in here."

It was true. Every big town had a tavern where bounty hunters would gather and trade contracts. They tended to be tough and seedy places. Bounty hunters were not the most sympathetic people. All the bounty hunters packed into the tavern were staring at Crocodile suspiciously, but none of them felt any inclination to help a hunted teenager that had just dived through their window.

 _Still, I don't need their_ help.

Crocodile took a deep breath, swallowed any pride he had left, and then screamed.

It was such a high-pitched, girly scream that all of the Syndicate agents looked absolutely shocked. Crocodile just prepared himself and continued.

"Oh my god, please help me!" Crocodile shouted in a voice that he hoped wasn't too obviously fake. "These men are about to drag me away!"

Cinco blinked twice. He looked absolutely baffled. "What the hell are you doing?" The hit-man asked bemusedly.

Crocodile ignored him. "I really don't deserve this!" Crocodile continued in a high-pitched voice, not meeting eye contact of the Syndicate agents. "Please somebody save me!"

Nobody reacted. Cinco scratched his head. Obviously, he had overestimated Crocodile. "You're embarrassing yourself here," he decided finally. "Let just get him out of here."

The man tried to grab Crocodile's shoulder and pull him away. Crocodile made a pantomime of tripping over his own feet, and he deliberately let a sheet of papers fall out of his jacket pocket and scatter across the tavern.

 _Preparation is important_ , Crocodile thought smugly.

Curiously, Cinco picked up one of the papers. Around him, the bounty hunters in the tavern were doing the same. It was a wanted poster, clearly displaying Crocodile's face with the caption 'Dead or Alive'.

The bounty shown was 150 million Beli.

"Please help me!" Crocodile shrieked again in his high-pitch voice, trying to hide the smugness. "These men are going to drag me away and trade me in for my _ridiculously large bounty_."

The mood in the tavern started to shift. The bounty hunters were mumbling to themselves. Even Cinco must have recognised the atmosphere change.

The hit man grabbed Crocodile by the collar roughly. Crocodile wasn't capable of stopping his self-satisfied smirk. "What is this?" Cinco demanded angrily, pointing to the bounty poster. "You don't even have a bounty!"

"Did you know that just _anybody_ can print off posters like that?" Crocodile whispered very quietly with extreme smugness. Then, his voice returned to a high pitch squeal as shouted to the room, "Please help me! These _completely unlicensed_ bounty hunters are about to drag me away!"

Cinco stuttered helpless. He was suddenly aware of just _how many_ bounty hunters there were in that tavern. The other Syndicate agents behind him started to look even more hesitant. They were all outnumbered two to one. All of the bounty hunters started to step closer towards Crocodile.

"He's lying!" Cinco pleaded desperately to the crowd. "That bounty poster is a fake. He doesn't really have a bounty. We're after him for… personal reasons."

The hit-man tried to drag Crocodile outside. The teenager deliberately let his body turn limp. Just as the Syndicate agents were about to leave, a large bounty hunter with a sword casually put his foot in front of the door.

"A hundred and fifty million is _a lot_ of money," the bounty hunter said quietly. The statement hung in the air.

Like a wall of mass, the crowd of bounty hunters in the tavern slowly started to descend on the Syndicate agents. Still, there were no sudden movements.

 _Hmm_ , Crocodile mused to himself, _perhaps I've over-estimated their intelligence_. That was actually quite an achievement.

"Please help me!" Crocodile squealed again, wondering how thick he could lay it on. "I received my ridiculously large bounty for political reasons! I swear I'm _not dangerous at all_."

More swords were flourished across the tavern. "I'm sure we can all work something out!" Crocodile shouted. "After all, my bounty is so large that you could all _share it_! All you need to do is deliver me to the _very nearby_ marine base!"

Cinco looked like he had swallowed a fly. Around him, the bounty hunters were walking right up to him. All of the Syndicate gangsters had drawn guns. All of the bounty hunters had large swords.

A beefy hand landed on Crocodile's other shoulder. A bounty hunter with a face full of scars and several missing teeth was glaring at Cinco.

"I think _we're_ going to take the boy," the bounty hunter said quietly. "Why don't you do yourselves a favour and leave?"

Cinco gulped. "You don't understand–"

"Oh, I understand just fine." The bounty hunter was suddenly reinforced by several of his equally large friends. "I understand that you should really leave."

Crocodile looked between the standoff, trying to avoid a smirk. Cinco and the Syndicate agents were outnumbered severely, but he knew that Cinco wouldn't just let Crocodile go. The Boss would be expecting Crocodile's head, and it was dangerous to disappoint the Boss…

The hit man growled. "Damn it all," he cursed foully, before throwing his arms forward. His hands exploded and the whole tavern was thrown into disarray.

Just like that, the match was lit and the powder keg exploded. Within seconds, the tavern and then the whole street was thrown into beautiful, beautiful chaos…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case it wasn't obvious, Cinco is actually Mr. 5. I had trouble with a lot of the Baroque Works agents. I wanted them in the story, but they're not Baroque Works any more so there's no reason for them to have the codenames. That means that there's a couple of characters that I have to make up names for, but they're not OC.
> 
> (Note: Cinco is Spanish for five, which was why I named him that)
> 
> This chapter gives some hints to Crocodile's mysterious plan. Bear in mind that you should only trust Crocodile as far as you can throw him through a stone ceiling…
> 
> Next chapter: You can't have a good riot without Doflamingo joining in – "Let's Start a Riot, Part 2"


	13. Let's Start a Riot, Part 2

The rain pounded against the cobbled stones, all the while the wind roared like a furious beast. Around Mihawk, tiles tore off roofs and houses shuddered dangerously. This wasn't a storm anymore; a hurricane was forming over Loguetown.

The streets were empty as Mihawk sprinted towards the Marine base. His feet slammed loudly as he ran, but the noise was drowned out by the thunderous growl of the weather. Mihawk was already drenched down to the bone. Between the rain and the darkness, Mihawk could barely see five feet in front of him, but the road was lit by the flickering streetlights, the torches fighting against the wind.

Mihawk was in a bad mood. Loguetown felt like a powder keg ready to blow, and this weather was pushing everything over the edge. All the citizens must have evacuated to a storm shelter already, but, for some reason, the Marines seemed intent on enforcing their curfew.

The swordsman had already stopped off at the tavern by the dock, where a frightened and gutless bartender admitted that Doflamingo had been captured by a marine patrol. Mihawk would have destroyed that bar if he had time.

Around him, there was a crash as a chimney collapsed in the gale force winds. The stones scattered to the ground and clattered to the street, followed by a groan as the entire building started to give way. There were dozens of houses that looked like they weren't survive the night.

Thunder bellowed from above, so loud that it caused the earth to shudder. A bright fork of lightning split the sky. _This is a weird storm_ , Mihawk thought angrily to himself.

The swordsman started to run faster. As he turned a corner, he glimpsed a man leaning conspicuously in an alley. With the streets so deserted, the thug standing watch over the street with a transponder snail was obvious. A flash of recognition crossed through the thug's face as he saw Mihawk, before the man quietly whispered into the transponder snail. This thug had a clown tattoo on his bicep.

Slowly, Mihawk skidded to a halt. Every danger sense he had was tingling. His hand went to this sword cautiously.

 _I don't have time for this_ , Mihawk growled silently. Around him, more figures were walking towards him in the gloom. They all had either swords or pistols.

Mihawk drew his blade. There were a lot of them now, eyes focused on Mihawk and paying no attention to the weather. They were coming from both sides of the street, cutting off any escape. Not that Mihawk would ever run. Still, they all kept their distance.

Curiously, Mihawk wondered if he should try to count them all. There were at least a few dozen men surrounding him, but more coming every second and perhaps even more hidden by the darkness. Still, there was no really point in counting.

"What does it matter if I step on ten insects or a hundred?" Mihawk whispered under his breath, both his hands gripping the handle of his sword.

To his right, Mihawk glimpsed a figure walking slowly out of a nearby alley. Mohji stood with a whip in his hand, and a scowl on his face. The animal trainer looked different; his clothes were more tattered and his face was unshaven. The teddy bear 'ears' on his head had grown outwards and become fluffy like bunny ears. He wore a pink helmet to keep his mess of hair under control, but the ears still stuck out.

On the rooftops to Mihawk's left, a lean man took position with a long, slender sword. Cabaji looked just as smug and greasy as always, but this time there was uncertainty in his eyes. His blue scarf and long sleeveless coat flapped furiously in the wind.

There was a brief silence, even as the storm raged around them. Finally, Cabaji spoke, "About time we've found you." His smug tone sounded forced. "We've got you cornered this time and you're not going anywhere. Now, be a good boy and surrender before –"

With a flash, Mihawk moved. Mohji was standing closest, so Mihawk darted at him first. Mihawk's sword sliced downwards in a lightning fast arc, and Mohji barely managed to catch the blade with his whip. The swordsman followed through beautifully, hitting Mohji in the stomach with a sharp kick, and then slicing across his shoulder as he stumbled.

Cabaji tried to help by throwing a dozen explosive stars. Even despite the conditions, Mihawk saw them coming. In an instant, Mihawk grabbed Mohji's collar and flung the animal tamer around, wielding his limp body like a human shield Mohji screamed in pain as the explosion collided with his back.

The acrobat shouted with shock. Mihawk calmly let Mohji's body drop to the ground. "I don't care how many men you have," Mihawk muttered darkly. "I beat all of you once and I can do it."

Slowly, Mihawk opened his arms up wide, daring the pirates to attack. His eyes glinted demonically in the dark. " _Come and get it_ ," he snarled ferociously.

Involuntarily, Cabaji gulped. The cut across his side was aching furiously. Still, there was too much at stake for him to back down. The acrobat flourished his blade as he leapt down from the rooftops.

Around him, the other pirates were closing in too, but they were all moving slowly. Mihawk grinned as he saw the fear in their eyes. He knew what they were thinking. They were all thinking: ' _Oh god, this guy looks dangerous. I'll move really slowly and let someone else attack first. Why isn't anyone else attacking first_?'

A predatory smile crossed Mihawk's face. He was outnumbered a hundred to one, but they were still severely outmatched.

* * *

Kuma wasn't built for running. His body was too big and his legs were too short. Instead, his feet pounded loudly on the ground as he tried to sprint, while his arms flailed wildly trying to keep his balance. He wasn't running; he was stumbling over his feet rapidly and not quite tripping over.

Behind him, the crowd of marines chasing him was growing quickly. With every alley and street that Kuma past, more marine patrols joined the pursuit. Within minutes, there was huge crowd of men in white uniforms sprinting a hundred feet behind Kuma.

"This is so not fair!" Kuma squealed desperately, the tears streaming down his face. Around him, bullets collided with nearby wall. Kuma's pudgy legs started to move faster.

Fortunately, most of the marines were too busy running to have time to take aim and fire. Unfortunately, Kuma never had a clue where he was running, so it was really only a matter of time before he ended up in a dead alley.

The marines just kept on pouring in behind him. Several emerged from an alley to his right, forcing the teenager to take a sharp left. The marine officer was still whistling furiously, summoning more and more men into the pursuit. The crowd of marines sprinted after him, all of them determinedly screaming orders and brandishing rifles.

Captain Tashigi had well motivated them not to allow a single vagabond to escape.

Curiously, Kuma wondered what his Grandma would tell him to do in this situation.

 _All I wanted to do was go to sleep_ , Kuma wept silently, _Why does this stuff keep happening to me?_

Next to him, the wind smashed open the windows on a nearby house, throwing glass everywhere. Lightning spilt up the sky above him, so close that the teenager flinched. This storm was making Kuma worried too.

Behind him, another marine managed to aim his rifle. The bullet bounced off the cobbles next to Kuma's foot, causing the teenager to lift his leg in shock. Unfortunately, he was still running at the time, and Kuma had way too much momentum to stop moving. Kuma could only scream as he fell face first to the ground, but didn't stop moving.

Unfortunately, between Kuma's oversize backpack and huge bulk, the teenager was practically spherical.

Unfortunately, the street was heading slightly downhill.

Kuma could only scream louder as he started to roll, picking up speed while the marines kept on pounding after him.

* * *

The bullets scattered around Mihawk. The swords flashed between the lightning strikes, and Mihawk growled with demonic glee as the blood splattered around him.

The pirates charged towards him. Perhaps they had finally given up on life. Mihawk's blade flashed around in circles, blocking blades and lashing out furiously. His feet skirted over the cobbles, all the while the pirates rushed towards him.

Cabaji led the charge. The acrobat was two steps behind Mihawk at every turn, their blades dancing so quickly that sparks flew out. Mihawk was by far the better swordsman, but every time he took the advantage Cabaji would throw down an explosive as a distraction, while the other thugs would charge Mihawk from all sides.

For every one that fell, another two entered the battle. More pirates were rushing down the street with every second, until it filled with men trying to reach the Mihawk. The swordsman was in the centre of the group, blocking blades from every direction and slamming the pirates into each other. There were so many men that they had to queue for the chance to attack Mihawk. With such a crowd, guns were practically useless, but instead Mihawk had to deflect blades, knives and throwing stars from all directions.

His eyes were unblinking. He saw everything coming and reacting in a blur.

There was a lashing sound from behind. Mihawk dodged, just as Mohji's whip bounced off the cobbles. The animal trainer was already pulling himself off the ground, and Mihawk scowled. _I should have killed him when I had the chance_.

Cabaji darted in at the same time. Mihawk parried his blade smoothly, and then caught a knife with his other hand. Another thug went in for a behind strike, but Mihawk to stop him with a backwards kick. Then Mohji's whip lashed again, forcing Mihawk to drop to the ground and the whip slashed above him, colliding with two other pirates.

The swordsman hit the ground before cartwheeling upwards. In the air, his blade sung as he slashed a hole in the crowd, but Cabaji was already darting inwards. The swordsman couldn't quite dodge in time, and the acrobat's blade sliced across Mihawk's chest shallowly.

"Got you!" Cabaji exclaimed smugly.

Mihawk frowned, and responded by punching Cabaji in the face with a sickening crunch.

"My nose!" The acrobat squealed as the blood splattered outwards. Mihawk was already charging the ground, his blade dropping pirates to the ground left and right. Mohji had to come to Cabaji's aid, but Mihawk flipped upwards while kicking the animal trainer firmly in the stomach.

There was a moment's pause as Mihawk landed at the other side of the street. He was panting heavily now, and the wound across his chest was hurting more than he was comfortable admitting. The pirates were pulling themselves off the ground. Mihawk frowned as a surprising amount of them managed to stand up again; he'd been too pushed to land fatal blows.

Cabaji's nose looked nasty, but he was still flourishing his blade angrily. Mohji went right, Cabaji went left. Around them, dozens of pirates took positions, all of them looking angry as they glared at Mihawk.

The swordsman was pushed up against the wall. The street was full of thugs after his head. He clutched his sword more tightly, glaring at them all, waiting for someone to make the first move…

And then, suddenly, the atmosphere cracked from a desperate squealing. Mihawk glimpsed just to see a large object rolling down the street. It looked like a fat teenager with a backpack was spinning downwards. Nobody had time to even react before he collided with the crowd of pirates.

The rolling teenager hit the crowd like a bowling ball through pins.

There were a few seconds silence.

"Well, that was random," Mihawk said finally, watching the pirates stare dumbly at the teenager who had come to a painful halt against the wall. Two dozen pirates were knocked roughly to the ground.

Then, the sound of whistling and stomping filled the air. A huge horde of marines was charging towards them, weapons drawn. The pirates shrieked with shock, but raised their own weapons to meet them. Mihawk looked between the dazed teenager and the marines with confusion. Apparently, the Marines were throwing overweight kids at pirates now.

Cabaji and Mohji looked shocked, yet recovered quickly to meet the marines. Within seconds, the two groups collided and the whole street exploded into chaos.

The sound of gunfire exploded into the street. Rifles met pistols and cutlasses met swords. Heaving bodies crashed into each other, and it wasn't long before the battle lost any semblance of order. The pirates and marines slammed into each and erupted into bedlam.

Mihawk was just about to face off with pirates, when suddenly the surge of white uniforms pushed everything away. He vaguely glimpsed Cabaji cutting through marines, while Mohji screamed to rally his men, but for a second Mihawk was left staring at the battle.

Around him, bullets shattered nearby windows. Grenades and Molotov cocktails were unleashed, and street exploded in fire, screaming and furiously clashing bodies. There were a lot of marines charging downwards, but the pirates were matching them blow for blow. Suddenly, a flare erupted into the sky, alerting the whole town to the chaos.

"I don't have time for this," Mihawk decided eventually, already starting to run away from the battle. He had to find Doflamingo quickly.

After a few seconds, Cabaji noticed Mihawk fleeing. "He's getting away!" The acrobat shouted in a wheezy and panicked voice. "After him!"

With a roar of fury, the pirates gave chase. The marines followed right behind them, and then whole battle was rushing down the street.

* * *

Captain Tashigi drummed her fingers as she stared out of the window at the storm that was raging around them. The whole Polestar Islands had been covered by the swirling clouds. Tashigi had never seen such a storm brew so quickly. It was like a localised hurricane had been unleashed open them. There had been no warning, but the whole town looked was being devastated by the storm. Even the Marine base was rattling in the wind.

 _This isn't natural weather_ , Tashigi decided finally, _Could it be…?_

Something was happening here. It was Tashigi's duty to keep control. She would slaughter anyone who threatened that control.

Behind her, one of her lieutenant's saluted quickly as he urgently marched up into her office. "Captain!" He snapped. "There's a disturbance–"

"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear," Tashigi muttered coldly. "For every act of violence, property destruction, or general disorderly behaviour that occurs tonight, I _will_ be taking heads off. Starting with yours, lieutenant. Now what did you want to report?"

A bead of sweat dropped down the unlucky man's face. "Well… ummm…" He stuttered unwillingly. "There's a… riot in town. It started in the bounty hunter and is now heading east along Execution Road…"

"A _riot_." You could cut flesh with the tone in Tashigi's voice.

The lieutenant gulped. "Yes ma'am, but reports are –"

There was a furious knock at the door. A marine ensign entered the room quickly, saluting roughly. "Captain!" The ensign reported worriedly. "Reports are just in! There's a riot in the town! Currently heading west along Execution Road!"

There were a few seconds silence. "West?" The lieutenant asked finally. "Don't you mean heading east?"

The ensign shook his head, glancing down at the papers. "No, definitely heading west," he reported with confusion. "Our men have already engaged in battle."

Tashigi looked between the two men, forcing herself to remain perfectly calm. Still, her hand went to her blade instinctively.

"What the hell is happening in this town?" She snarled coldly.

* * *

Crocodile sprinted down the road quickly. It had been hard, but he managed to get a good distance ahead of his pursuers. The rain soaked him to the bone, and he had no inclination to get in a fight when he didn't have his Logia invulnerability.

Crocodile turned a corner, and kept on moving. He was just passing the Execution Platform when Crocodile saw a figure sprinting towards him from the opposite direction. Crocodile sighed with relief, stopping to catch his breath. Mihawk skidded to a halt as he saw Crocodile.

They were standing in the plaza dominated by the large Execution Platform. The large Marine base dominated the other side of the plaza, but the plaza was quiet and deserted. For once, Crocodile was genuinely happy to see Mihawk.

"Glad you're here," Crocodile panted, still clutching his chest. His clothes were ruined and his body was beaten. "We've got to leave _right now_."

"Agreed," Mihawk nodded quickly. He was bloody with a large cut across his chest. "Let's get back to the ship straightaway."

They both started to move at the same time. Mihawk started to walk west, Crocodile went east. They paused.

"Trust me," Crocodile said with conviction. "You don't want to go that way."

"No," Mihawk shook his head fervently. "I'm pretty sure that we shouldn't go _that way_."

There was a moment's silence.

Then, the whole plaza started to rumble with the pounding of footsteps. Even above the roar of the storm, the sound of shouting filled the air. From the west, the mob of bounty hunters and gangsters surged around the corner. From the east, the horde of pirates and marines charged towards them. They were all fighting each other just as much as they were chasing after Mihawk and Crocodile.

There were suddenly hundreds of men converging into the plaza, with Mihawk and Crocodile standing right in the centre.

Crocodile and Mihawk looked at the charging crowds silently, and then glanced at each. The screams of the angry mobs was deafening.

"Are you _kidding_ me?" Crocodile said finally, shouting to be heard. "I left you alone for a few hours and you started _a riot_?!"

Mihawk pointed to the crowd of bounty hunters and gangsters. "Well so did you!" He protested.

Crocodile never seemed to hear him. "Unbelievable," Crocodile muttered, rubbing his eyes. "This was supposed to be a quiet stop. What part of 'be discrete' did you not understand, or are you just that stupid?"

At once, the swordsman had his blade at Crocodile's throat. The two crowds were getting closer quickly.

"Insult me again!" Mihawk snarled furiously at Crocodile, holding his sword close to Crocodile's chest. "Go on! Say something smug or condescending again! See what happens!"

"Smug and condescending is the same thing," Crocodile muttered, rolling his eyes. Mihawk growled and slashed towards Crocodile, who darted backwards.

The sound of the two riots was deafening now. The thunder rolled across the sky. The footsteps were causing the cobbles to bounce. There were two armies charging towards the pair.

Crocodile stared at the pirates and marines charging toward Mihawk, being led by an angry Mohji and Cabaji.

Mihawk stared at the bounty hunters and gangsters charging at Crocodile, being led by a furious Cinco.

"You are the worst mindless, overly violent buffoon in history," Crocodile said finally.

Mihawk paused. " _I'm_ the worst?" The swordsman muttered finally. "You really don't know our captain very well, do you?"

The riots were so close that they could see the angry whites of their eyes.

"Let's get this over with," Mihawk declared finally, staring angrily at Crocodile.

"Agreed," Crocodile growled, straightening his golden hook.

The two crowds collided like two tidal waves hitting each other. In a flash, Crocodile was jumping past Mihawk towards Cabaji, while Mihawk was spinning around Crocodile and slashing at Cinco.

"Who the hell are you?" Cabaji screamed over the roar of the crowd, narrowly deflecting the golden hook.

"I'm in a bad mood!" Crocodile snarled, lashing out with a wave of sand.

Mihawk darted toward through the wall of Syndicate agents. His blade flashed and several men dropped to the ground. Before Cinco could even react, Mihawk was slashing the hit man's chest open. The blood splattered everywhere.

" _Really_ not a good time to mess with me," Mihawk muttered darkly, as Cinco fell to the ground. "You just made the worst mistake of your life."

The hit man grunted with pain, but stared at Mihawk. "No, you've made the mistake," he shouted back. "Don't you know that my blood explodes like nitro glycerine?"

Mihawk never even had time to react. Cinco's blood had splattered across everything, but mostly over Mihawk's body and sword. The next second, the red blood started to glow brightly, before erupting in a huge shockwave.

The explosion shattered every window in town. A large hole was blown into the centre of the riot, but it did nothing to deter the mobs that were erupting in angry and confused violence. Marines, pirates, bounty hunters and gangsters all collided, but they were fighting far too furiously to stop fighting.

Instead, the explosion was like a dinner bell, inviting everyone to join the party. The riot had begun.

* * *

Instantly, Doflamingo's eyes flashed open. The room was spinning and his mind was blurry, but suddenly some primal part of him just flared up with shock. He knew with a certainty that could almost be extrasensory, that, somewhere, lots of people had just started trying to kill each other.

 _And I'm not a part of it!_ Doflamingo thought in outrage.

Doflamingo pulled himself to his feet, almost falling over again from disorientation. Drunkenly, he staggered forward to bars on his cell, and started thrashing and screaming wildly.

"Oi!"A voice from the prison shouted irritably. The jailor was suddenly walking down the corridor. "What's going on there?"

The teenager swallowed and raised his hand slowly. "Concierge…" Doflamingo slurred his words, stumbling over the vowels, blinking repeatedly. "I would like to check out of my room now. Please collect my belongings. Also, you forgot the chocolate on my pillow."

The jailor just grunted. He was a large man, with a barrel chest and scruffy beard. "You're a drunk," he growled, slamming his truncheon against the bars.

"I'm not a skunk! I'm a pirate!" Doflamingo protested. "Say, do you want to join my crew?"

"You're a pirate?" The man seemed to think about it for a while, before a suspicious glance fell over his face. "Do you have a crew? Where are they?"

"…My what?" Doflamingo blinked, swaying as he stood. He had to hold the bars just to hold himself up.

"Your pirate crew," the jailor repeated with annoyance. "Tell me where they are."

"Oh. I can tell you that." Doflamingo motioned for the man to come closer secretively. Cautiously, the jailor approached. As soon as he was near, Doflamingo proceed to belch loudly into the jailor's face.

"Bastard!" The jailor recoiled with disgust. Doflamingo exploded into a fit of giggles. The jailor slammed his truncheon against Doflamingo's head, ringing off the bars.

The teenager slumped against the jail cell, and then slowly started to snore.

"Did you just fall asleep on me?" The jailor muttered angrily. "Oi! Wake up!"

Doflamingo jumped awake quickly. "Double hamburger and large soda!" He slurred quickly. The jailor responded by hitting him again. Doflamingo didn't seem to mind.

"You're a drunken buffoon," The jailor growled, already starting to walk away.

Doflamingo blinked several times. "Wait a second… where's my hamburger?"

The teenager's fingers extended. A razor-thin wire stretched out and wrapped itself around the jailor's ankle, causing the man to stumble to the ground.

"What the…?" He exclaimed, while Doflamingo was giggling again.

"I want my hamburger!" Doflamingo demanded.

Doflamingo's fingers danced. In seconds, the wires wrapped around the jailor's body, and Doflamingo pulled the large man closer towards him like a puppet. The jailor tried to thrash and fight it, but the string was too strong.

"Huh…" Doflamingo slurred. "I didn't know I could do this…"

He thought about it for a few seconds, before wriggling his fingers again. The jailor was screaming for help now, but he couldn't stop himself as his right arm twisted in Doflamingo's control. Then, the right hand collided with the jailor's face.

Doflamingo giggled. "Stop hitting yourself." His fingers twisted again, and the jailor was helpless as the string pulled his hand to his face with a large slap. "Stop hitting yourself." Slap. "Stop hitting yourself." Slap. "Stop hitting yourself." Slap.

The large man's eyes were wide with shock and fury. His body wriggled helpless against Doflamingo's string. "…You have a Devil fruit power?"

Doflamingo just shrugged. "Apparently," he muttered, before forcing the jailor to knock himself unconscious against the bars of the cell.

A few seconds later, a string lifted the cell keys out of the jailor's pocket. Doflamingo walked out of the cell, staggering as he went. He was so drunk that he walked into the door twice before he finally realised that he had to push the handle down.

Everything blurred for the teenager. He had no idea where he was, what he was doing, or why, but all he knew was what he wanted to do. He wanted to have _fun_.

A few minutes of drunken wandering later, Doflamingo ended up in the Marine supply room. Slowly, his eyes focused on the barrels that were stacked inside.

"Beer!" Doflamingo shouted happily, quickly hugging a large keg. " _You're_ definitely joining my crew!"

He popped the top open and started gulping the beautiful liquid inside. The beer splattered down on to the floor. Doflamingo grinned as suddenly everything seemed to make much more sense.

"I love beer…" He sighed, lifting up two heavy bottles to carry under his arms. A few steps later, he realised what else was in the supply room.

"Gunpowder!" Doflamingo shouted happily, staring at the dozens of large powder kegs. "I love gunpowder almost as much as I love beer!"

With his other hand, he heaved up two of the powder kegs. Slowly, Doflamingo stopped moving, looking between the barrels of beer and gunpowder with drunken thoughtfulness.

"Hmm… I wonder…?"

* * *

Outside, the riot was raging as furiously as the storm was. Between the darkness and the violence, it became impossible to know who was fighting who. The whole plaza disintegrated into blind chaos and anger.

And more people started to join in. No one was quite sure who or why, but the crowd of bedlam just kept on getting bigger. Loguetown had been a breaking point for a long time. The Marines had dominated and suppressed the town for far too long, and suddenly the citizens had enough.

The storm was rampant and the riot was violent. Now, the citizens had had enough of being polite and were rushing out into the plaza to join in. Within minutes, nobody cared how it started. All that mattered was that it was still going and they wanted to join in.

The Marines were flocking to the plaza, but they were outnumbered a dozen to one. The violence was slowly but unstoppably spreading across the whole town. Perhaps it was the weather. Violent storms tended to make violent men.

In the centre of it all, dodging desperately around all the men that were trying to kill him, Kuma was crying as he ran in circles. Bullets and swords flashed around him.

"I have no idea what's happening here!" Kuma shrieked helpless, sobbing as the whole town turned into a warzone.

* * *

Tashigi stood at the edge of the Marine base, overlooking the plaza. A vein bulged on her forehead dangerously. Her whole town was going to hell, and she would not allow this to happen. She had sacrificed everything for her career, and she refused to give the higher-ups the ammunition they needed to finish her once and for all.

She would keep control of the town even if she had to kill everyone in it.

The captain was quite for a long time. The marines in the base stared at her with just as much fear as they stared at the riot.

"Lieutenant," Tashigi ordered eventually, her voice steady. "Ready the heavy artillery. I want you to bomb the plaza off the map."

The man looked speechless. "…But ma'am!" He stammered with shock. "What about the citizens? What about our own men?!"

Tashigi's gaze was cold. "Is that disobedience I hear?"

Her hand dropped to her sword. Everyone around her gulped. Tashigi may only have been a captain in the East Blue, but they all knew that she had the skills to be so much more.

With a quiet order, the heavy guns were slowly loaded and twisted around. They were artillery cannons designed to repel mass invasions from the sea. No one had ever dared to use them on the town itself.

Tashigi stood on the wall, staring darkly at the anarchy that was infecting her city. _I will kill you all before I lose control_ , she promised silently.

"Captain!" A nervous voice shouted up to her. Tashigi glanced around to see one of her communication officers rushing towards her nervously.

" _I'm busy_ ," Tashigi snarled. The man looked like he was about to wet his pants, but he held up a sheet of paper hesitantly.

"It's important," he pleaded. Curiously, Tashigi turned.

"I was just relaying the details of one of the drunks that we picked up back to HQ," he explained. "And then I got a response."

Tashigi frowned. "That was quick. From HQ?"

"No," The man gulped. "Straight from _Mariejois_."

That got Tashigi's attention. Quickly, she snapped the piece of paper out of the man's hand. Mariejois was technically the capital of the World Government, but everything was managed from Marine Headquarters. An order from Mariejois meant an order from the World Nobles themselves…

"They came back so _fast_ ," the communications officer admitted. "I just described who we had picked up, and then suddenly they came back with _this_ order…"

Tashigi finished reading. Her heart was beating quickly. "Some _really_ powerful people want this guy _really_ dead…" She realised. "Who is he?"

The man shrugged. "I don't know; they didn't say."

The captain hesitated. On one hand, all seven sorts of hell was about to explode in the main plaza and she really needed to be here. On the other hand, an order from people _this_ important was perhaps the only thing in the world that could repair her career from the slander it suffered all those years ago. If she killed this teenager, then she might finally recover everything that she lost…

Tashigi made her decision. "Lieutenant!" She snapped, gripping her sword tightly. "Prepare the bombardment, and give no mercy. I need to go speak to this drunk."

She only managed to make it several steps, before nervously the communication officer coughed and pointed to the roof of the Marine base.

"Umm… sorry…" He stammered. "But do you mean _that_ drunk…?"

* * *

Mihawk and Crocodile stood back to back, carving their way through the riot. More people were charging them from every side. It wasn't a fight anymore; it was a mindless brawl. The whole plaza was filled with thrashing bodies. It made it nearly impossible to move anywhere.

"We've got to get the ship!" Crocodile shouted loudly, and Mihawk could barely hear him over the roar of the ground. The Syndicate agents knew they were here and which ship they arrived on. It was only a matter of time before they cut off their only escape route.

"I'm a bit busy here!" Mihawk replied frustration, cutting down several men at once. They were charging so fast that Mihawk barely had space to spin his sword.

Crocodile kicked a marine in the face, and then ducked to avoid a cutlass. "Then we've got to clear make some space…"

Through the corner of his eye, Crocodile glimpsed a large, overweight teenager trying to crawl out of the riot. The navigator never even hesitated.

" _Oi_!" Crocodile called loudly, pointing at the teenager. "He's over there!"

The teenager's eyes widened in shock. In the chaos, visibility was zero and all the bounty hunters, pirates and gangsters had lost their targets in the mob. Crocodile was willing to bet there were half a dozen people who would react to any suggestion of where their targets were.

Sure enough, some people started to charge at the large teenager. And as soon, as people started moving, everyone around them started moving too, because riots were very dumb creatures. Within seconds, the large teenager could only shriek before several dozen people descended on him with swords and guns.

It was enough to create a small opening. "Let's go!" Crocodile ordered, and he and Mihawk slammed through the crowd of people.

"Where is Doflamingo, anyways?" Crocodile growled. "Let's hope he stays out of trouble…"

It was Mihawk who noticed it first. The swordsman stopped to stare at the top of the Marine base, and at the figure who was standing at the very top.

" _Oh no_ …" Mihawk groaned. Crocodile turned to stare, before cursing loudly.

"I take it back," Crocodile conceded, rubbing his eyes exasperatedly. " _You're_ not the worst mindless, overly-violent buffoon ever…"

They could only stare as Doflamingo took position on top of the building, his arms open wide. More people were starting to notice too.

 _Why am I not surprised that he would end up announcing himself on top of a Marine base, during a riot, in the middle of lightning storm?_ Mihawk wondered curiously.

* * *

Doflamingo was laughing as he looked out over the riot. Between the storm, the explosions, and screaming, it was one of the most beautiful sights he'd seen in years.

People were shouting and pointing at him now. A bright pink figure tended not to go unnoticed for very long.

A bolt of lightning hit a flag nearby, but Doflamingo wasn't scared. He was staring down at the battle before with drunken glee.

If anything, he was a little bit outraged. _How dare they?_ He thought to himself, _How could they start the show before the star arrived?_

He was standing above his crowd with a barrel of gunpowder and beer under each arm, and a transponder snail in his hand. It was a transponder snail that he picked up from one of the offices, which was linked into the PA system across the whole town.

Suddenly, Doflamingo was a rock star.

With great care, Doflamingo cleared his throat, and pressed down on the button on the transponder snail.

And then he belched.

It was one of the loudest belches in history, and it was magnified through speakers across the town. It was so loud that even the riot stopped to stare.

Doflamingo erupted into an explosion of giggles.

* * *

"That's it," Crocodile declared finally, as the belch echoed around him. "I've had enough of this. I'm taking the ship myself and leaving you two behind."

Mihawk was too busy groaning inwardly to respond.

* * *

Doflamingo was laughing furiously as everyone turned to stare. He could practicality hear the marines charging up to meet him, but he didn't care. All he could see was the blood and the fun.

Below him, he heard Tashigi screaming at the marines to shoot him down.

Doflamingo took a large gulp out of keg of beer, laughing into the transponder snail.

" _Stop me?_ " He screamed loudly. "Don't you know who I am?"

He raised his arms to the sky, challenging the world to bring him down. Slowly, he lit the fuse on the powder keg.

 _God, I love being drunk_ , he thought gleefully.

" _I am_ …!" Doflamingo declared triumphantly. "… _The God of Beer and Gunpowder_!"

With a casual swipe, Doflamingo threw the lit powder keg into the crowd below him. People panicked. Doflamingo laughed louder.

" _BOW BEFORE ME, MORTALS_!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, Doflamingo gets a bit crazy(-ier) when he gets drunk.
> 
> Next time: Have you ever been so drunk that you declared war on the world, started your own religion, destroyed a town, performed several crimes against humanity, and then stole a battleship? – "The God of Beer of Gunpowder"


	14. The God of Beer and Gunpowder

"And on the… um… day!" Doflamingo roared above the howl of the storm. "God created Beer and Gunpowder! And it was _awesome_!"

The rain and wind howled through the town, yet somehow Doflamingo managed to shout over the storm. Doflamingo's voice echoed across the town, and there as many people staring at him as there were fighting in the plaza.

"Ok, congratulations," Crocodile said dryly. "You're the captain now. Let's get out of here."

Mihawk didn't respond. He was too busy staring at Doflamingo, who seemed insistent on attracting as much attention as possible. Doflamingo stood at the top of Marine base, screaming at the top of his lungs while occasionally throwing down powder kegs into the ground below. Each explosion rocked the ground and sent the Marines into frenzied panic. At this point, everything was frenzied.

"God declares that everything should be painted pink! Pink!" Doflamingo screamed, slurring his words slightly just as he threw another lit barrel of gunpowder. "Pink is a holy colour!"

The explosion demolished a cannon, sending men in white uniforms scattering. It was a testimony to the fury of the riot that not even the drunken lunatic detonating powder kegs could do anything to stop the fighting.

"And grey overalls must be destroyed!" Doflamingo shrieked. "Grey overalls are the creation of the… _the Devil of Coffee and Paperwork_!"

With that, he dropped down a barrel of beer, which split open on the cobblestones. "Oops…" Doflamingo burped. "Wrong barrel."

Mihawk could only watch from below as Doflamingo unleashed three lit kegs into the ground. People were screaming and running for cover. Doflamingo was laughing insanely.

The Marines were already rallying. Slowly, half a dozen cannons were being twisted a hundred and eighty degrees and pointing towards the roof of the Marine base.

"They're going to blow him off the roof," Mihawk realised with shock.

"Good," Crocodile growled, as the swarms of fighters started to get closer. The navigator was glancing around him nervously, watching the chaos spread around them. "That means they're not shooting at _us_. We've got to get out of here right now."

Mihawk glanced at him with annoyance. "We can't leave him," the swordsman spat back. "He's going to get himself killed."

"Even better," Crocodile snapped. "We've got to go _now_."

Mihawk grabbed the collar of Crocodile's shirt angrily. "You're the mastermind around here!" Mihawk snarled. "Think of a plan to get him down!"

Crocodile frowned with frustration, waving his hand around at the crowd. They had escaped the fighting for now, but the riot was already expanding. The port would be barricaded off by now, and the Marines had artillery moving into position. There was a twenty-foot wall surrounding the Marine base, and Doflamingo was on top of a building at least a hundred feet high, swarming with soldiers.

"How the hell are we going to save him?" Crocodile exclaimed loudly, stressing every word as if he was talking to an infant. "He's in a Marine base! At the top! How the hell are we going to get through!? How the hell are you planning to get to the top, through the walls and cannons and guns?!"

Mihawk just growled, his face twisted in anger. Crocodile never stopped yelling at him and talking down to him.

"I thought so!" Crocodile shouted mockingly. "You really don't have anything going for you at all, do you? Unless you can fly, there's absolutely no way we're reaching that buffoon!"

There was a moment's silence. A look of realisation dawned on Mihawk, and a sly smile crept over the swordsman's face. Crocodile looked confused for a while, until the dread fell over him.

The wall was only twenty-foot high. And Mihawk had a really good grip on Crocodile's collar.

"Don't you dare," Crocodile warned, paling slightly at the sight of Mihawk's smirk.

Suddenly, Mihawk twisted around and pulled Crocodile off the ground. The navigator was lifted up like a ragdoll, and half a second later Mihawk was swinging him in circles.

"I WILL KILL YOU!" Crocodile roared, just as Mihawk unleashed him like a hammer thrower going for a world record. "I WILL MURDER YOU, YOU BAST–"

Mihawk couldn't stop himself laughing just as Crocodile went streaming over the wall helplessly.

Marines, pirates and gangsters were already swarming towards him. Mihawk had his sword unsheathed and started sprinting towards the wall, using the blade as a pole to leap upwards. His fingers brushed against the corner, and then he was levering himself up into the Marine base.

There were half a dozen marines standing guard at the wall, staring at Mihawk with shock. They lasted about five seconds before they crashed to the ground.

Crocodile was on top of the wall, groaning as he crashed face first into the battlements. The sight of the navigator lying on the ground with his rear in the air instantly put Mihawk in a good mood.

The swordsman pulled Crocodile up, who was still spitting out insults and curses. Mihawk was practically carrying Crocodile under one arm as he turned to face the riot in the plaza.

"Hey everyone!" Mihawk bellowed happily, waving at fighters below. "The party is over here!"

The crowd of angry people clashed against the wall like a tidal wave.

Up above, Doflamingo was laughing louder than anyone.

* * *

"Get those cannons ready!" Tashigi ordered loudly. Lightning split the sky and the wind roared, but Tashigi's attention was focused entirely on the pink figure hurling gunpowder down in the courtyard. "Blow that maniac off my roof!"

Between the riot and storm, the town was falling to pieces. Tashigi felt like everything was falling to pieces. She was losing control.

 _I will not lose control_ , Tashigi thought with gritted teeth. _I will never lose control_.

"Captain!" A frantic marine shouted in alarm. "The rioters! They're swarming the walls!"

Around the base, men with weapons were crawling up the walls. The marines were returning fire, but between the weather and the chaos there was no formation left. Marines were running in fear, while more and more people swarmed upwards.

With a grunt of frustration, Tashigi jumped upwards. Her sword slashed through the air faster than anyone could follow, and a blast of air erupted from the edge. Suddenly, two dozen men, marines included, were slashed to the ground, and the battlements crumbled from force of the blow.

Marines were staring at Tashigi in shock. _They will be more scared of me than death itself_ , Tashigi vowed angrily.

" _Get the cannons ready_!" Tashigi snarled. Two dozen marines started shambling around with increased frenzy.

The rioters were storming the base from all sides, and the marines were falling quickly. Tashigi glared upwards at the figure on top of her Marine base, barricaded onto the roof with their supply of beer and gunpowder.

 _There were a lot of powerful people who want that drunk dead_ , Tashigi reminded herself, _I_ will _kill him_.

The cannons creaked as they pointed upwards. Huge cannonballs were loaded, and frantic marines lit the fuse despite the pouring rain.

Doflamingo was still laughing furiously. He was soaked to the bone and as drunk as a skunk, but happier than he felt in years.

Doflamingo stared just as the cannons exploded with a ferocious boom and the flying hunk of metal came whizzing towards him. He threw his hands to the heavens like a prophet. Above him, the sky split open.

"You will never stop me!" Doflamingo laughed wildly. "For I am the KING –"

Without warning, lightning struck. His mouth was left hanging wide open just the world exploded in bright light.

The Marine base crumbled around him. Doflamingo never stopped laughing.

* * *

Millions of volts burst downwards from the sky. It was like some divine force suddenly decided that the Marine base was an eyesore, and pressed down an enormous finger of raw power to crush it out of existence. Metal glowed fiery red and slumped into a molten lump. Wood sparked and turned to blackened. The force of the lightning strike sent debris flying everywhere, crashing through courtyard in a wave of fiery force.

There was the sudden silence of hundreds of people holding their breath. Even men who had been fighting to the death dropped their weapons to stop and stare. Rioters were in the middle of scaling the walls, and marines were in the middle of trying to repel them, but they all stood motionless with their mouths open.

The sound of the thunder vibrated through the town like a giant bell. Mihawk could feel his ears ringing from standing so close. The building was nothing more than a skeleton of charred wood, crashing downwards, while the pounding rain squashed the fire as quickly as it began.

Mihawk and Crocodile were standing at the edge of the courtyard, staring down at the blackened ruins of the building. Behind them, hundreds of men had stopped mid-charge. The fury of the raging storm sounded strangely quiet for a couple of seconds.

Next to him, Crocodile had his fingers crossed, quietly muttering under his breath. "Please be dead, please be dead, please be dead…"

It was a bit petty, perhaps, but Crocodile was having a _really_ bad day.

An arm, stained black with soot, punched out of the debris. "I'm alright!" Doflamingo called happily.

With that, everything collapsed. Hundreds of men resumed their charge, and the tidal wave of angry men crashed against the Marines like an unstoppable surge.

The Marines were already returning fire. The gunshots were like faint pops over the howl of the wind. Vaguely, Mihawk listened to a Marine captain gathering men to chase after Doflamingo.

The swordsman watched silently as his captain brushed himself off and staggered away drunkenly. Behind him, the riot was spilling over the walls and bursting through the courtyard. Next to Mihawk, Crocodile looked mildly disappointed.

"Do you believe in miracles?" Mihawk asked finally, still watching Doflamingo zigzagging away he stumbled towards the other end of the compound.

Crocodile snorted. "I believe I really need to get out of here," the navigator muttered, staring at the mob that was quickly charging towards them. At least half of them were after Crocodile especially. Those fake bounty posters were still littered through the crowd.

The swordsman never seemed to hear him. Mihawk sighed softy before sprinting after Doflamingo. The marines had a head start, yet the drunken pirate was still some distance in front. "I just _knew_ this guy was going be trouble," Mihawk growled, his feet pounding against the soaking wet cobblestones.

"Good luck with that!" Crocodile called snidely, already moving in the opposite direction. He never even got two feet before he glimpsed a dark figure charging towards him, surrounded by a mob of Syndicate agents. Cinco had his gun in his hand, his glasses were cracked, and he looked angry.

"Oh dammit," Crocodile cursed with resignation. There was a huge mob charging towards him, and Crocodile didn't care to face them all by himself. With a weary groan, Crocodile turned and sprinted after Mihawk.

* * *

Doflamingo wasn't running away exactly. Instead, he just started running because everyone else was doing it. It never even occurred to him that they were all chasing after _him._

A gang of Marines chased towards him, heavy boots slamming against the cobblestones. Behind them, an even large horde of assorted rioters poured through the base. Doflamingo was giggling as he tried to stop himself from tripping over his feet. It was all good fun.

The bullets scattered around him. Doflamingo was too busy staring at the pink flamingos to notice.

"You're a God." One of the flamingos said approvingly.

Doflamingo smirked, just as a cannonball exploded a few feet behind him. "Totally," Dofamingo agreed smugly. He suddenly wished that he had a pair of sunglasses to wear.

There was an angry scream from behind. Doflamingo turned to see a gang of marines charging towards him, being led by an extremely irritated dark-haired woman with glasses carrying a sword and gaining quickly.

Doflamingo grinned cheerfully at the woman. "Hey there!" The pirate waved, almost stumbling over as he straightened up. "How you doing–"

With a lightning fast flash of her sword, the Marine captain darted forward. With a single slash, the shockwave caused the air to explode as the force shoot outwards. It was so powerful that stones were stripped from the ground. Doflamingo, by either pure instinct or luck, managed to duck under the projected slash, but the power of the blow still took him off his feet.

He flew off his feet and tumbled through the air like a ragdoll. Doflamingo was giggling right up until he landed roughly onto the stones. His body skidded across the wet ground, groaning slightly as his vision blurred.

"Ouchie…" The pirate moaned, trying to stop himself from throwing up. His head spun in circles, until finally he managed to focus on the horde of angry people closing in from all directions.

And then he looked up further and a huge smile split his face.

He had landed at the edge of the Marine base, right next to the private Marine harbour.

"Hmm… I've always wanted my own battleship…" Doflamingo mused thoughtfully.

* * *

Tashigi was panting heavily. Although she'd never admit it, even that one slash had took a lot out of her. Everyone else was staring at her in awe for being able to split the ground with a wave of her sword, but the truth was that she was actually ashamed of herself. She lost control of her own attack, and accidently sent her target flying out of sight instead of a clean kill.

 _I've been in the East Blue for too long_ , Tashigi cursed inwardly. _I've become_ weak.

The riot was going wild now. It looked like half the town was involved. If this storm kept on going for much longer, then there wouldn't be much of a town left. This was wrath-of-God type weather. Unwillingly, she remembered the last time there was weather like this in Loguetown…

That was when it all began. Tashigi refused to let it happen again.

 _Focus on what you can do_ , Tashigi told herself forcefully. Even if the whole town was destroyed, so long as she killed this drunk, then she would still gain major points with very powerful people. Perhaps it would be enough to restart her career again. _Even if I have to kill everyone else in this place_ , Tashigi vowed, _I will see that pink buffoon dead_.

She could feel his presence with her Haki. He would never escape.

Her legs were pounding with fire as she sprinted onwards. Within seconds, she glimpsed Doflamingo again, but the drunk was already moving. He was stumbling up the gangway of a battleship, idly tossing marines overboard like puppets. Tashigi glimpsed the ropes being sliced apart by razor thin wires, and then battleship started to drift backwards with the wind, rocking heavily with the vicious waves.

A burning fury ignited inside of Tashigi. He would not escape.

With superhuman strength, her legs pounded against the stones so hard they left craters in the cobbles. The next second, Tashigi was accelerating forward with blinding speed, suddenly sprinting on nothing but air.

Through the corner of her eye, she glimpsed two men charge against the marines. One of them was lean with a large sword and covered in bandages. The other wore a tattered suit and had a large golden hook. Companions of the drunk, perhaps. They pair cut through her men easily, but Tashigi didn't care. There was a horde of rioters charging against the marines seconds later, but Tashigi didn't care.

Tashigi was accelerating off the harbour, leaping over the water and seemingly hovering in mid-air until she stepped onto the stolen battleship. Doflamingo never even had a chance to blink with surprise before Tashigi materialised next him.

With a sharp kick, Doflamingo was sent flinging backwards and collided roughly to against the mast. Tashigi's sword was instantly at his throat.

Around him, the garrison of marines on the battleship were flocking around on the deck. Half of them were pointing guns at Doflamingo, and the other half were trying to get the adrift battleship under control in the choppy waves.

Tashigi pressed her sword against his throat with ferocious satisfaction, drawing a fine line of blood. " _You're mine, now_ ," Tashigi growled.

Doflamingo just grinned goofily. _I_ love _it when beautiful women say that to me_ , Doflamingo thought cheerfully.

* * *

Between the bouncing waves and the swirling wind, Doflamingo was so disorientated he barely knew where he was. He'd been struck by lightning a few minutes ago, so he was at least suffering a concussion. Instead, all he could do was grin brightly as the Marine captain threatened to kill him.

"You know, I'm a _pirate_ ," Doflamingo slurred. "Say, do you want to join my crew?"

A flash of fury cut flickered over Tashigi's face. The pommel of her sword collided roughly against his face, dropping him to the ground. Tashigi looked down at him with undiluted fury.

"Answer me right now," Tashigi threatened coldly, levelling her blade as his throat. "Why exactly do the World Nobles want you dead?"

Doflamingo was too busy rolling across the rocking deck to answer. Around him, the marines were frantically trying to pull the battleship into the wind to stop it drifting backwards. The wood groaned as the mast was heaved upwind, and the rudder was turned hard to port. The battleship tilted dangerously as it turned, but Tashigi kept her footing easily.

"Answer me!" Tashigi threatened, hitting him again with the flat of her blade. "Who are you to the World Nobles?!"

The pain seemed to sober Doflamingo up slightly. The words 'World Noble' rang around his head, pulling up all sorts of memories. Doflamingo blinked several times, focusing on Tashigi.

"I'm a _God_ ," he slurred slowly, while behind his back he started to thread his string outwards.

Tashigi snorted mockingly, obviously deciding he was too drunk to be worth his time. She paused slightly to watch, at the edge of the Marine harbour, the heavy artillery being turned around to face into the town. Obviously her orders had still gotten through. Each of those cannons could pierce an armour-plated hull in a single shot. Tashigi would wipe every lawbreaker off the map, even if she had to destroy the whole town to do so.

The captain lifted her sword above her head in an execution strike. "You made a mistake coming to this town," she muttered darkly.

Doflamingo smiled brightly. Even when he faced imminent death, the world was made so much brighter by large quantities of alcohol.

"No, honey, you made the mistake," Doflamingo replied with all the drunken sass he could muster. "I mean, those boots and glasses? _Urgh_. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that you're still single."

The ship turned deathly quiet. Every marine's mouth dropped open. Tashigi's eyes glowed with ice-cold fury. Doflamingo just laughed, all the while fiddling his fingers quickly.

Tashigi brought down her blade. Doflamingo was faster. Instantly, the string burst from him and itself around half a dozen marines' arms. Doflamingo flicked a finger, and the man at the helm suddenly and unwillingly span the steering wheel. The marines holding the mast felt their fingers pry open and the rope slip from their hands. The marines rolling the sail up stumbled backwards, and then the whole sail unfurled and took the full brunt of the hurricane winds.

The mast slipped downwind, and then gale-force winds hit the battleship head on. The acceleration was instant. The wood groaned in agony and planks snapped under the pressure. The next second, the whole battleship lurched forward with unstoppable momentum.

Doflamingo barely managed to use his string to fasten himself to the mast, and the sudden force almost crushed his chest. No one else stood a chance. The wet wood was slippery, and as the battleship jumped they were all sent rolling like skittles. Doflamingo managed to glimpse Tashigi's furious face just before she fell overboard.

Doflamingo's laughter was louder than the storm. In an instant, all of the marines were splashing in the water while Doflamingo was speeding away from Loguetown in his brand new ship.

"I am a _GOD_!" Doflamingo proclaimed loudly, pulling himself up and waving to the fiery outline of the town.

"And I have a battleship!"

* * *

Mihawk dragged Crocodile to out of the way of the furious fighting, watching the outline of the battleship quickly disappear into the darkness. The swordsman had to blink repeatedly just to make sure he was seeing it properly.

"Unbelievable," Mihawk muttered finally, hiding behind a wall while the furious battle raged around him. "He actually got away."

Crocodile shook his head slowly with despair. "That buffoon hasn't escaped anything. He's on the wrong side of the island."

Mihawk glanced at the navigator with confusion. Crocodile was rubbing his eyes with tired resignation. "This is the _Marine_ harbour," Crocodile explained slowly, too worn out to even sound arrogant. "The public harbour, where our ship is, is on the other side of the island, in _that_ direction."

He pointed to the direction they had come from, before Mihawk's detour into the Marine base. The swordsman looked confused. Crocodile just groaned.

"That means he's never going to get out!" Crocodile pointed to seawalls surrounding the harbour, and to a faint shadow in the distance. "See that? That's the storm gate. They close it in bad weather. And this harbour is surrounded by the big cannons. All that buffoon has done is made himself the biggest sitting duck in history."

"You mean he's _trapped_ in the harbour?" Mihawk realised dumbly.

"And he finally gets it," Crocodile replied snidely. "It'll be _child's play_ for the marines to blow him out of the water. He's got nowhere to run."

Mihawk stared back out in the sea. The swordsman's keen eyes could just make out the shadow of the battleship, and Doflamingo was rapidly running out of harbour.

"What can we do?" Mihawk demanded urgently.

Crocodile snorted. "Get the hell out of here," the navigator replied quickly. "He's a dead man."

The swordsman tightened his grip on his sword with frustration. Crocodile rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You know, he might actually be able to break through the storm gate…" Crocodile mused. "He's in a battleship, after all. That would probably be his best bet. After that, all he would have to is sail…" Crocodile shook his head. "No, that would never work. He'd never be able to sail a ship that size by himself in this weather…"

Just as he said that, Mihawk saw the battleship lurch suddenly. He could see the mast swinging around the prow as all the pressure was let out of the sails. The ship turned around downwind quickly, and then started to accelerate quickly.

Crocodile frowned. The battleship was now heading straight back to port, directly towards them. "What's he doing now?" Crocodile muttered with confusion. "Is he surrendering?"

Mihawk stared quietly for a while. The battleship was going downwind, with hurricane force winds behind it, and moving so quickly it was practically bouncing over the choppy waves. There were hundreds of tonnes of metal and gunpowder heading straight towards them, and showing no signs of slowing down.

Over the last few weeks, Mihawk had got a glimpse into the workings of Doflamingo's mind. It was a scary place.

"We need to move _right now_ ," Mihawk gulped, already dragging Crocodile away.

"What's happening?" Crocodile exclaimed with bemusement.

"He's going to jump the island." Mihawk was running now. A couple of the rioters shouted at him passing, but the swordsman was fleeing too fast to care.

"Jump the…" It took a few seconds for Crocodile's brain to process this. "But he's _in a battleship_!" Crocodile screamed loudly.

The battleship was close now. He could practically hear the wood and metal screaming from the force of the wind. The mast was practically buckling under the strain. The huge leviathan was zooming into view, dwarfing everything else around. People started to scream as the realisation hit the mob like a sledgehammer.

"I think that's the point!" Mihawk shouted back. Around him, people were running, practically trampling over anyone who didn't escape fast enough.

Crocodile sprinted alongside Mihawk, all weariness gone in the sudden panic. "What the hell is that fool thinking?!"

* * *

Doflamingo stood at the prow, watching everyone on the harbour flee like insects below. The wind was howling behind him, so powerful it was practically lifting the ship out of the water.

There were creaks as the battleship demolished some smaller dinghies below. They were crushed under its pure bulk without even slowing it down. The battleship was colliding towards the coastline fast.

Behind him, large booms split the sky as the heavy artillery opened fire. The massive cannonballs blurred towards the town, destroying whole streets in a ferocious impact of debris and momentum. Some cannonballs nearly hit the battleship, showering Doflamingo with tidal waves of water as the skidded across the ocean, but the pirate didn't care.

Nothing could stop him now.

" _Row, row, row your boat!_ " Doflamingo shouted happily, clutching on tightly as the ship collided with the earth. " _Gently down the –!_ "

* * *

Kuma groaned with pain as he pulled himself up slowly. Around him, the street was in utter chaos. Everyone was fleeing madly. Kuma felt like crying.

 _This isn't fair_ , Kuma sniffled weakly, _All I wanted to do was go to sleep_ …

The plaza was trashed. The Marine base was demolished. Everything was either at blaze or destroyed by the storm. The whole town was consumed by a riot that he may have inadvertently help start.

Around him, people were screaming. Kuma pulled himself up slowly, his huge shoulders slumping so low his knuckles were almost reaching the ground. This whole town seemed to be out to get him for no particular reason.

For the first time in a long time, Kuma started to feel a little bit annoyed.

 _Well_ , Kuma thought brightly, trying to remain cheerful, _At least it can't get any wors–_

There was a sudden boom in the distance, followed quickly by a second. Kuma glimpsed upwards to see a blurring mass of metal fire straight towards him. The cannonball moved so quickly that no one had time to duck. The heavy metal ball collided with a stone house but didn't even slow down. A second later, chunks of stone were flying around him and a whole row of houses was pulverised into nothing.

"OH, COME ON!" Kuma squealed with despair, as the bombardment began. The booms of the heavy artillery were as loud as thunder strikes.

People were running frantically in all directions, and then a whole mob burst out of the Marine base, running with frantic fear and being led by two figures at the front. Kuma could glimpse the cannonballs blurring towards him. Time seemed to slow down. He knew that he needed to dodge.

Kuma was still trying to figure out which direction to dodge just as the solid metal cannonball hit him squarely on the forehead.

There was a dull thud. The shockwave caused the pavement to split around Kuma. The cannonball was two metres wide and solid steel. It had enough momentum behind it to demolish a small town. Still, it hit Kuma's head like a sledgehammer colliding with an unbreakable concrete block.

Before Kuma could even blink, the cannonball rebounded off his skull and flew upwards. It landed with a huge clunk in the centre of the plaza, with a head-shaped indent on its surface.

It took a couple of seconds for Kuma to even feel the pain. There was a light trickle of blood falling down his skull, but otherwise the large teenager never reacted. People were staring at him.

" _Ow_ ," Kuma said finally, rubbing his head dumbly. "That hurt."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay with this chapter, but I hope you can forgive me.
> 
> Next chapter, the big finale to the Loguetown Arc:
> 
> "The Movement of the World"


	15. The Movement of the World

The rain splattered on the cobblestones as a figure hidden beneath a black cloak walked casually through the deserted street. Any citizens that weren't in the riot had long since taken refuge in the storm shelters. The winds were so strong the tiles were ripped off houses, and the chimneys had collapsed under the force. Dark clouds swirled overhead, and lightning forked across the sky.

Without any concern, the figure strolled through Loguetown, before eventually sitting down on a park bench overlooking the plaza. Execution Plaza looked like a warzone. The Marine base had been shell-shocked There were fires and fighting erupting all over the town, but, if anything, the figure in the long trench coat seemed mildly amused.

In the centre of the plaza, the ruins of the old execution platform, where Gol D. Roger was once killed, were blackened logs soaked by rain and time. Even after ten years, they had never been cleared. The remains of the old execution platform was practically a tourist attraction in its own right. The person lounging on the park bench spent a long time staring at the broken execution platform wistfully, old memories coming back to the surface.

In the Marine base, a young teenager wearing pink was standing on the roof of the building and proclaiming himself a god. Under the heavy cowl, the observer smirked.

"Pirates…" The cloaked person muttered thoughtfully. "They never change…"

* * *

Mihawk and Crocodile stood staring at the pudgy boy in the plaza, rubbing his head dumbly while swaying slightly. Around them, more and more men were pouring out of the devastated Marine base, running for their lives. Between the storm, the scream and the thunderous cannon fire in the background, it looked like the apocalypse had arrived in Loguetown.

"Did that cannonball just bounce of that guy's head?" Mihawk asked finally. There were a few others who were staring at Kuma with bewilderment. Crocodile looked thoughtful. "What the hell is that kid made out of?"

Slowly, Kuma tried to move his leg. The teenager was wobbling so much that he lurched to the ground. He tried to stagger upwards, but he was clutching his head tightly now and blinking madly. Kuma had to hold on to the earth while the world span in circles around him.

Like a stumbling giant, Kuma lifted himself forward. He was so concussed that it was impossible to for him to walk in a straight line. The teenager staggered madly, swinging his huge arms in dizzily and nearly crushing people underfoot over as the rioters around him. Kuma was like a drunken gorilla thrashing blindly, all the while mumbling 'sorry' under his breath.

It was such a strange sight that Mihawk stood staring for a few seconds. It was the sound of footsteps as Marine reinforcements charged into the battle that forced him to move. The Marines hit the crowd of rioters like a tidal wave of rifles, cutting through the disorganised mess.

"We've got to go," Mihawk shouted quickly to Crocodile. "Let's get back –"

He turned just to realise the Crocodile was already gone. The navigator disappeared quickly without a word. "That bastard," Mihawk cursed, just as all sorts of hell broke out over the plaza.

"We've got you now!" Cabaji screamed angrily, charging at Mihawk from behind, his sword slashing. Mihawk growled angrily and deflected the blow, while Mohji lashed out from the other side with a whip. Mihawk sidestepped easily.

The acrobat looked worse for wear. His clothes were tattered and his body was bloodied. Mohji was just as badly beaten, and seemed to be missing one of his long, fluffy ears from the chaos. The pirates only had a half a dozen men still following them, and they all looked ready to collapse.

"Seriously?" Mihawk growled, dancing around Cabaji's desperate strikes. "Even with everything happening, you're _still_ trying to get me?"

Mohji whip snapped through the air, bounding off the ground. Mihawk jumped backwards, just in time to block Cabaji's strike on the hilt of his blade. Around them, the Marine cannons pulverised a nearby house into dust. "We're not leaving without your head!" Mohji screamed. "The pride of the Buggy Pirates is at stake!"

The Marines were setting up formations, firing off rounds into the gunfire. People were screaming, cannons were booming and the wind was howling. Still, Cabaji and Mohji danced around Mihawk in the middle of a warzone, striking desperately.

"What pride?" Mihawk snarled, blocking each blow easily. "You're all a disgrace to piracy!"

Cabaji slashed forward, yet the teenager easily dodged and sidestepped around him. Mihawk's blade cut across the acrobat's thigh, causing him to scream in pain and stagger. Mohji rushed into aid, only for Mihawk to cut his whip in half and slice across the animal tamer's shoulder. Two of the other pirates tried to charge Mihawk from behind, only to collapse from a swift elbow to the face.

The fear in their face was obvious as Mihawk thrust his blade forward. Whatever loyalty their men had left disintegrated as the swordsman approached Mohji and Cabaji slowly. "If you're so eager to die," Mihawk muttered coldly, raising his sword. "Then I will…"

Mihawk's voice seemed to trail off. There was a huge rumbling around him, like an avalanche approaching. Mihawk's mouth dropped open as he glanced up above.

"Maybe later," the teenager said quickly, already turning around and sprinting away. Around him, the rest of the crowd, rioters and marines alike, started screaming in panic. Mohji and Cabaji looked at each other with confusion, before slowly turning around with dread.

There was a battleship sailing across the ground, straight towards them.

* * *

The first impact with the shoreline nearly turned Doflamingo's stomach inside out. The battleship shuddered with collision, yet it was hundreds of tonnes with furious winds behind it. It wouldn't stop that easily.

With a tremendous creak of metal and wood against stone, the bottom hull scraped off against the coast yet the rest of the ship kept on going. Everything underneath was crushed as the ship lifted onto the coast.

Doflamingo wasn't laughing anymore. Between the furious shuddering and acceleration, he could barely breathe. If there had been anything left in his stomach, he would have lost it. Planks of wood splintered under the pressure. The masts bowed and collapsed. The cannons and metal plating were scattered across the docks as the battleship tumbled onwards.

At this point, it wasn't even a ship anymore. It was just a huge piece of debris being pushed onwards by the wind.

People were screaming and things were exploding. Then the ship started to tilt over the bow and Doflamingo saw the ground rushing up to meet him. That was when he finally blacked out.

When he woke up again, he was lying face first on the ground. Groaning, Doflamingo staggered upwards just to see the ruined skeleton of the battleship split into a dozen pieces and scattered through the town in a flurry of explosions, carving trail of destruction through the town. Behind him, the cannons boomed and a huge chunk of the Marine base wall burst into rubble, covering Doflamingo in dust.

As he held his throbbing head, Doflamingo managed to think the first sober thought he'd had for hours.

"I'm _really_ not drunk enough to deal with this shit," the pirate groaned.

There was another explosion behind him. A nearby supply building shattered with the wind, sending its contents scattering around the courtyard. Doflamingo stared with amazement as the large barrel rolled up to his feet.

"And the God of Beer and Gunpowder delivers!" Doflamingo proclaimed wondrously, heaving the keg of ale under his shoulder and popping off the top. "All praise the lord!"

After that, things got really interesting. Somewhere in the background there was a riot and absolute chaos, but Doflamingo had a keg of beer so he didn't really notice. By the time the keg was half empty, Doflamingo couldn't even remember his name. He just kept on staggering forward happily, singing old sea shanties with every word all wrong.

After a couple of minutes, two figures limped towards him. Doflamingo was too busy watching the giant flamingos to pay them much attention.

"We've finally found you," Cabaji snarled angrily, so exhausted he could barely stand. The courtyard had been left so devastated that there was no one else around.

Mohji was limping next to him. The animal tamer had to hold on to Cabaji for support. "Let's get this over with," Mohji growled.

Doflamingo just kept on stumbling forward, too drunk to pay them much attention. Slowly, his eyes managed to focus on the pair.

"Hey there!" Doflamingo shouted happily. "Say, do you want to join my crew?"

Cabaji snapped. The acrobat flourished his blade and charged at Doflamingo furiously.

"Do you have any idea what you did to us?" Cabaji roared, swinging his sword upwards while the tears poured down his face. " _Do you have any idea what you put us through_ –?"

Before he could even lower his sword, the air flashed with power. The lightning burst downwards and collided with Cabaji's blade, and shot through him. Mohji was holding onto him as the electricity exploded. The blade glowed red-hot and shattered into a hundred pieces. Their clothes burst into flames. Their bodies were smoking and rigid as they collapsed backwards to the ground.

Doflamingo stared. He blinked for a few times, before a sly smile crossed his face.

"The God of Beer and Gunpowder strikes again!" Doflamingo screamed triumphantly, stepping over Mohji's scorched body as he stumbled into the riot. "All infidels are smote!"

He was much too drunk to notice the hooded figure watching him from the corner of the courtyard.

* * *

Kuma collapsed into a sobbing heap in the middle of the battlefield. It was too much. The teenager just couldn't handle it and shut down. His head was still spinning from concussion, and everything was fighting and exploding around him.

In the middle of the chaos, Crocodile casually strolled over to him and looked down at the huge hulk of a teenager. Curiously, Crocodile prodded Kuma with his hook.

Kuma started to stir, but Crocodile didn't care. The navigator tapped on Kuma's head sharply. It rung with a solid thud. Crocodile pulled up Kuma's head roughly to check he was still conscious, and then measured his huge body. Crocodile stared at him critically, inspecting Kuma like he was some weird, but inferior, animal.

"What are you doing?" Kuma stammered weakly.

Finally, Crocodile took out his cigar and smirked at Kuma. "Say, are you interested in a job?"

"Huh?" The teenager frowned as Crocodile heaved him to his feet with a great deal of effort.

An evil smirk flashed across Crocodile's face. "I'm in the market for a human shield."

It took a Kuma a while to comprehend, during which Crocodile casually stepped behind him. There was a dull boom from behind him. "A human…?"

The cannonball hit Kuma straight in the stomach. The teenager winced with agony and bent over, while the cannonball bounced into a nearby fountain. A pained hiss expected his throat as Kuma gasped, but Crocodile just nodded and patted him on the back approvingly.

"That's right," Crocodile smirked, pushing Kuma forward. "You're a natural."

The large teenager was so dazed he never even resisted as Crocodile forced him onwards. The marine formation took aim. Kuma was looking around with bewilderment. Crocodile gently pushed him to the side.

"To the left," Crocodile ordered, just as a hail of bullet burst against Kuma's chest. The bullets were like wasp stings; biting into his skin and drawing blood, but they couldn't penetrate his dense body. Kuma squealed and covered his face protectively, just as Crocodile gave him another push.

"And to the right." The cannonball hit Kuma's shoulder, causing him to stagger to the ground. Crocodile held him straight while Kuma stumbled with dizziness. "Perfect."

"I don't like this job…" Kuma groaned weakly. Crocodile just looked at him with amusement.

"You'll get used to it," he drawled, taking a deep breath of his cigar. Crocodile jammed his hook into Kuma's move and dragged him from the side of his mouth. Kuma yelped as Crocodile started to walk away, all the while the bullets and cannonballs bounded off Kuma's back. Crocodile looked to be enjoying himself.

By the time they reached shelter in an alley, Kuma had nearly collapsed from the dizziness. His eyes were spinning and unfocused. His body was bleeding from dozens of small cuts and scrapes.

"You're going great," Crocodile smirked, patting Kuma like he some sort of pet. "We're nearly there, just one more thing you need to do…"

There was something about the way he said that which sent shivers down Kuma's spine. The teenager stared at Crocodile with wide-eyed and innocent terror. Crocodile's smirk was demonic.

"You're a good human shield," Crocodile praised.

"My name is Ku–"

"I don't care," Crocodile said dismissively, already pulling Kuma away. The large teenager whimpered, but was too frightened to fight back. His Grandma always told him not to get into fights.

"I've got you now, bastard!" The shout burst from the riot as a figure charged towards Crocodile. The navigator stared at shock as Cinco charged out, sending everyone in his way flying with a large explosion.

The hit man looked beaten and bruised. His sunglasses were shattered and his trench coat was shredded. Cinco glared at Crocodile furiously, cracking his knuckles. "There's nowhere to run now!"

Crocodile quickly pointed at Kuma. "You've got to get through my bodyguard first."

Kuma looked panicked. "Wha…?"

"Like I care!" Cinco snarled angrily. Instantly, the hit man slammed an explosive fist into Kuma's stomach. Kuma's fat seemed to ripple as he absorbed the blow. Kuma moaned weakly and clutched his chest, but didn't fall over.

"Oh, tough guy, huh?" Cinco pulled back his arm and slammed his fist into Kuma again. The explosion caused a small shockwave. Kuma looked like he had the worst case of stomach-ache ever. Crocodile just looked amused.

Cinco growled. "That's it!" The hit man spun his leg around and crashed his foot into Kuma's chest. The explosion caused Kuma to lift into the air slightly, before his eyes rolled and he started to collapse.

A flash of victory crossed Cinco's face. Then, Kuma started to tilt forward like a toppling tree. The hit man couldn't move out the way fast enough, and was crushed under Kuma's huge bulk with a dull 'oomph'. The ground trembled slightly.

Crocodile paused for a few seconds, and then lit another cigar, looking at Kuma's motionless body approvingly.

"Yep," Crocodile decided finally. "I can work with this."

* * *

Mihawk's blade flashed and dozens of men slumped to the ground. The swordsman was past caring now. He just wanted to get out of this insane town.

Doflamingo was collapsed into a drunken stupor across his shoulders. Mihawk groaned as he heaved his captain out of the crowd of thrashing bodies. Blades and bullets flashed around him, yet Mihawk just sprinted through.

Around him, the riot was starting to die down. There wasn't enough left of a town to fight in. The furious winds were spinning the debris across the town, and whole buildings were shattering under the constant bombardment.

Mihawk just kept on running. Across his shoulders, Doflamingo was mumbling something about the flamingos telling him to do it.

As he reached the street leading down to the docks, Mihawk skidded to a halt and dived for cover in a nearby alley from the salvo of bullets. He only had time to glimpse the formation of Marines blockading the street.

"Dammit," Mihawk cursed irritably, peeking out of the alley cautiously. A bullet nearly took his eye out.

Out of the shadows, there was a condescending chuckle. "Well, it's about time you got here."

Mihawk snapped around so quickly he knocked Doflamingo's head off the wall. The captain snapped awake in a mumble of incomprehensible words.

"Crocodile!" Mihawk demanded. "Where the hell did you go?"

"Waiting for you," the navigator scowled, walking towards him. "And that's the limit of my kind heart. Now let's go."

"But they've barricaded the street!" Mihawk protested.

"Not a problem," Crocodile sneered, dragging a large object around him. "I've just got a brand new battering ram."

Mihawk frowned, while Crocodile pulled out a large, fat teenager by the collar. The teenager looked barely conscious and bewildered. "…Battering ram?"

In answer, Crocodile merely yanked Kuma by the ear and spun him out of the alley and down the street. Kuma was shrieking with pain while Crocodile just extended a foot and caused him to tumble. The next second, Kuma was tripping downwards and rolling down the street like a boulder. The Marines shot at him frantically, but then there was a dull thud as the huge teenager smashed straight through blockade.

Crocodile gave a self-satisfied smirk, already walking after him. "There we go."

Mihawk just stared at Crocodile incredulously. "What kind of demon _are_ you?" The swordsman demanded eventually.

"The _best_ kind," Crocodile muttered, taking a deep puff of his cigar.

* * *

The mood was murderous as Captain Tashigi dragged herself out of the filthy water. There were half a dozen marines there to help her out, but they all looked they would rather be anywhere else be here.

Tashigi was soaking wet. She lost her overcoat and glasses in the sea, and her hair vaguely resembled a bird's nest. She was breathing deeply, her hands clenched as the killing intent flooded out of her.

There were a few nervous minutes of silence.

" _Where are they_?" Tashigi snarled in deadly whisper.

The marine gulped. "Heading towards the docks. Along Hanberg Street."

Tashig nodded and started walking away. Her hand was gripping her sword so tightly her knuckles were white.

They would have the wind behind them, and there was probably nothing more than a token force still guarding the docks. Any Marines would have to fight through the plaza to reach them, and between the storm and the chaos it was unlikely that she'd be able to rally enough men.

 _This isn't natural_ , Tashigi thought furiously, panting heavily. There was no way that those pirates would be able to do all this by themselves.

Someone was _helping_ them.

With all the strength she had left, Tashigi blurred as she sprinted through the courtyard, her feet cracking the concrete.

* * *

Doflamingo sleepily raised his head while Mihawk sprinted towards the harbour. He was still draped over the swordsman's shoulders and bumpily rocking up and down. Doflamingo had blink several times before he managed to focus on anything.

"Huh…" The captain muttered, slurring his words as he watched the building pass by. "How did we get here?"

"It's about time!" Mihawk muttered with frustration. "Do you have any idea what you did?"

"Nope!" Doflamingo replied cheerfully.

Crocodile scoffed with disapproval, but kept on running. Kuma was shambling alongside them, mostly because he wasn't sure what else to do.

Even through the rain and the darkness, the harbour loomed into view. The towering ship masts were like specks in the distance, but rapidly getting closer.

"We're nearly there!" Crocodile shouted. "I can see our ship!"

Mihawk groaned, glancing behind him. "Oh, you just had to jinx it."

Behind them, a huge crowd of marines loomed into view. They poured out of every alley and street, charging down the street. Hundreds of rifles were brandished and charging towards them. Kuma squealed. Doflamingo started laughing.

"Brilliant!" The captain cheered. "It would be boring leaving without an audience!"

In response, Mihawk shrugged his shoulders, causing Doflamingo fall to the ground. The captain groaned with pain, but then started run alongside them. He was still laughing even as the bullets ricocheted around them.

One bullet hit Kuma and bounced off his skull. The large teenager groaned with pain as he rubbed the back of his head. His stumpy legs were struggling to keep up. Doflamingo seemed to notice him for the first time.

"Hey there!" Doflamingo shouted with drunken cheerfulness. "Say, do you want to join my crew?"

"He's my human shield," Crocodile commented dryly. Even as they ran, the navigator was taking care to run directly in front of Kuma with the Marines shooting from behind.

"Umm…" Kuma stammered uncertainly, with a panicked expression at being on the spot. On one hand, he had no idea what was happening. On the other hand, Doflamingo was the first person to be pleasant to him all day, and Kuma really had nowhere else to go. "…Sure?"

"Great!" Doflamingo cried happily. "I'm a pirate, you know."

The bullets flying everywhere causing Kuma to flinch, but Doflamingo never seemed the least bit concerned. At this distance in this wind, the Marines had little chance of hitting them, but there were enough of them firing that it was really only probability.

"Ok!" Kuma shouted, screaming over the wind. "My name is Ku–"

Suddenly, a blurring shape streaked by them. It was like a wind with a blade attached. Mihawk was the only one who managed to react to it and raise his sword, but then he was hit by a slash so powerful it sent him flying into a nearby wall, despite his parry.

Crocodile never fared much better. He was hit by a blow that cut across his shoulder and sent him skidding to the ground. "What the –" Crocodile gasped, just as he felt the pain hit strike him.

Kuma, for his part, never even realised there was an enemy there until he was hit by a kick so hard it buried his face into the ground with a dull thud.

Tashigi suddenly appeared blocking the path. Her sword was clutched tightly in hand as she charged at Doflamingo. "Weaklings," she scoffed dismissively. "I've got you now!"

"It's the unfashionable woman!" Doflamingo called in drunken happiness. "Say, do you want to join my –"

The blow brought him to his knees. Instinctively, Doflamingo tried to weave a net of strings to protect himself, yet Tashigi cut through them instantly. Doflamingo had to blink; he hadn't even realised his strings _could_ be cut.

In a flash, Tashigi's blade was at his throat. "The name's Tashigi," she growled. "I'm a Captain of the Marine Headquarters. And I will not allow you to escape here alive."

Doflamingo gulped as she pulled her blade backwards. "You know, I don't think I want you in my crew…"

Tashigi's eyes were merciless. "Your good luck ends here!" She screamed as she thrust her sword forward.

"Oh, I wouldn't say _that_."

The blade stopped inches away from Doflamingo's face. He blinked and he missed it, but suddenly a figure hidden in a black trench coat appeared and grabbed Tashigi's sword. Tashigi's face paled.

"You!?" She exclaimed, staring at the newcomer like she saw a ghost.

" _Me_ ," the dark figure replied with satisfaction.

"Who's you?" Doflamingo exclaimed confusedly.

Tashigi pulled her sword away and twisted it to point at the cloaked person. "The whole Government is after _your_ head!"

"And the world awaits your answer!"

Tashigi charged with lightning fast speed. The cloaked figure was faster. The person waved their hand, and suddenly a huge gust of wind erupted down the street. Houses were practically blown out of their foundations. Tashigi went flying backwards, and even the Marines behind them were scattered like bowling pins.

Doflamingo could only stare. The rest of his crew were slowly pulling themselves up from their beat down. "We need to go _now_ ," Crocodile groaned, staggering to his feet.

Mihawk shook of the dust and started running. Kuma was staring around without a clue what was happening, but he started to run anyways. Doflamingo grinned at the cloaked figure.

"Thanks dude!" He shouted.

The figure was laughing now, a light, delicate chuckle, while theatrically stepping aside to let them pass. "Fufufufufu… Go on then, if that's your desire!"

The pirates charged by. Tashigi was nearly frothing with rage as they ran away. The wind howled louder than ever.

"You!" Tashigi roared. "You've been helping them all along! _Why_?!"

The cloaked person just laughed louder. The thunder and lightning erupted in the sky.

"Why would you help them escape!?" Tashigi demanded, before adding in a slightly sarcastic tone. "' _Ms Magician_ '!?"

With a light chuckle, the figure threw her cloak off, revealing long orange hair and very curvaceous figure. She stuck her tongue out at Tashigi cheekily.

"Oh, I love helping rookie pirates out," Nami grinned. "It makes me feel _nostalgic_."

* * *

Doflamingo's laughter was louder than the storm while Crocodile and Mihawk unfurled the sails and raise the anchor. Kuma was bouncing around on deck, trying to find something to do. The waves so high that they threatened to flood the town, and the ship pounded against the harbour.

"So long Loguetown!" Doflamingo bellowed loudly. Between the lightning, the rain and the fires, there wasn't much of a town left. "It's been a blast!"

Crocodile was screaming at Doflamingo to come on board. The captain never seemed to hear him. "Never forget the day when the man who will be King visited this town!" Doflamingo screeched drunkenly. "Erect a statue in my honour, and remember the teachings of the God of Beer and Gunpowder!"

"Somebody get that buffoon on board before we all drown!" Crocodile ordered, struggling to keep the ship steady against the waves and wind.

"Never will the era of piracy end!" Doflamingo preached to no one in particular. "For there are things that cannot be stopped! As long as a man continues seek out–"

"That's enough," Mihawk sighed, pulling Doflamingo over his back. The captain tried to fight feebly. "Let's just get out of here already."

"Aww…" Doflamingo groaned as the swordsman dumped him on the deck. "Where's your sense of dramatic flair?"

"That died when you _crashed a battleship into the Marine base_ ," Mihawk muttered dryly.

"Oh yeah," Doflamingo grinned with faint recollection. "That was _fun_."

Crocodile cut the last of the ties and the ship shot of into the sea. The wind was so powerful the entire vessel lurched. Kuma was close to tears as he clung onto the mast.

There was a small crowd at the edge of the docks. Doflamingo grinned as he recognised Lady Alvida standing there, watching him go. If possible, Doflamingo's smile brightened.

"Hey!" Doflamingo called out to the bemused woman, waving happily. " _Call_ _me_!".

Mihawk frowned at Doflamingo grinning like a love-struck fool. "Didn't she get you drunk, assault you and then tie you up?"

The captain thought about it for a while. "Yeah, that's not exactly a turn-off," Doflamingo said happily.

Mihawk's face sickened. Crocodile was busy staring out at the ruins of the Loguetown. "Huh…" The navigator muttered, watching the buildings shatter. "The whole town looks like a warzone…"

"I know – it's pretty brilliant, right?" Doflamingo laughed. "And I've thought of a name for our ship!"

He stood at the prow, arms extended as if we were challenging the world. "This is now _The_ _Warship_!"

* * *

"How dare you let them escape?" Tashigi growled, launching in with a furious assault. Her Haki-imbued blade slashed the air open and cut deep gouges in the ground. Around, whatever Marines were left were scrambling for cover.

Nami blocked the attacks almost lazily with her staff. The woman's hair flowed out freely in the wind, and she wore a tight-fitting red shirt and blue jeans that clearly emphasised her feminine figure.

"Oh don't be like that, Tashigi," Nami pleaded softly. "I mean, we used to be friends once, right?"

"I was never friends with a _pirate_ ," Tashigi spat the word like the foulest of curses, diving in for another attack. Lightning burst from Nami's staff, causing Tashigi to dive for cover.

"We had some pretty good times!" Nami protested, spinning her staff gently. Dozens of seashell-like shapes were fixed onto the shaft. "I mean, before things got all messed up. You even had a chance to join us, once."

Tashigi screamed in fury, launching slash after slash, faster and more powerful than she had in years. Nami blocked them all easily. Around them, the debris of the houses burst into dust.

With a frown of annoyance, Nami flicked her wrist gently. A typhoon gust of wind erupted from her staff and sent Tashigi bouncing off the ground.

The captain ground her teeth together. After all these years, Tashigi had become so _weak_.

"My captain sent me here to extend that offer again," Nami explained coolly. "Something _big_ is happening. It's time to pick a side."

Tashigi was panting heavily now. Nami wasn't even slightly out of breath. "I would never become a pirate," she snapped.

Nami looked at her almost sympathetically. "When did you get so bitter?" She wondered out loud. "Is this because Zoro dumped you–?"

With a wordless scream of fury, Tashigi charged. The shockwave pounded a crater into the ground.

" _ZORO DID NOT DUMP ME_!"

* * *

Standing some distance away from the fight, three figures watched with wide eyes. The members of Roronoa Zoro fan club practically had their mouths hanging open. Dwayne was making notes in his book hastily.

"Look at what happened to this town," Kimiko said breathlessly, staring around at the ruins. "I can't believe it…"

"Who cares?" Ando snorted, trying to watch what was happening.

"Hey! I grew up in this town," Kimiko objected. "It used to be a nice place. I remember this one time I spilt some ice cream on to the old captain's trousers, and he –"

"Will you shut up?" Dwayne snapped. "Don't you know what's happening here? _The Straw Hats are moving again_! That's huge!"

"We've got to tell the club president about this," Ando added excitedly.

Dwayne nodded, slamming his book shut. On the back, the Jolly Roger of Barto Club pirate was emblazoned onto the leather.

"Agreed," Dwayne grinned brightly. "Bartolomeo is going to _freak_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter of the Loguetown arc, please let me know how I did.
> 
> Note about Kuma's body: I figured there must be a reason why Vegapunk chose him to become a Pacifista. The reason is that Kuma naturally has an incredibly dense body, even without the cyborg upgrades, yet at this point in time he has no fighting spirit or Devil fruit to back it up. Think of him like similar to Bobby Funk in that respect.
> 
> Next chapter: The crew faces their most terrifying challenge yet - Doflamingo's hangover...


	16. The Hangover

The waves were smooth and gentle as the caravel rocked through the open sea. In the distance, the sound of seagulls chirped across the bright blue sky. A couple of serene white clouds floated in front of the midday sun, but otherwise all that could be seen was a huge, empty expanse of sea and sky. The storm had faded as quickly as it came, leaving nothing but serenely calm weather. With the sail down, the weather was so light that the _Warship_ drifted on the current at a snail's pace.

Crocodile and Mihawk sat around the table in the mess hall, at opposite ends. The storms from last night had left the ship in a wreck, scattering everything across the floor, but neither Crocodile nor Mihawk had made any inclination to clean it up. Instead, Mihawk was carefully polishing his sword, while Crocodile quietly munching on a meal of dried oats, while inspecting a pile of maps critically.

Kuma was sitting in the corner of the room, looking between Mihawk and Crocodile expectantly. No one said a word.

An hour passed wordlessly. Eventually, a low, pained groan erupted from beneath deck. It was the sound of some poor soul trying to wake up, but grappling with the reality of the worst hangover of the century. Doflamingo was finally starting to stir from his near comatose sleep.

Mihawk paused. "Oh, he's not going to be in a good state today," the swordsman muttered finally.

Crocodile looked up from the map sprawled over the table. "Indeed…" he mused for half a second, before turning to Mihawk. "Excuse me, could you pass the foghorn?"

The foghorn was bulky klaxon with a heavy wooden case and a metal handle attached. In dark, foggy nights where signal fires were useless, the foghorn could produce a screech so loud to alert any ship within a half mile radius to their presence. It was scattered on the floor, and Mihawk absentmindedly kicked the klaxon over to Crocodile.

The navigator left the mess hall. A few seconds later, there was a huge, ear-splitting siren bursting from below deck, so loud that entire ship rocked, followed by a shriek of agony and the sound of Doflamingo falling out of his hammock. Kuma winced and looked shocked, but Mihawk barely even reacted.

Then, Crocodile calmly walked back into the mess hall and dropped the foghorn on the table, returning to his maps with a small, self-satisfied smile on his face. From below, there was the sound of a vicious stream of constant cursing, and Mihawk could practically hear Doflamingo clutching his head in anguish. The swordsman looked at Crocodile curiously.

Crocodile just shrugged. "I take my pleasure where I can get it," he replied simply, not looking up from his maps. Mihawk decided that he didn't care enough, and returned to polishing his sword.

Nearly half an hour later, Doflamingo staggered through the door. The captain looked absolutely wrecked, stumbling like a zombie. His face was pale and his eyes were blood red. Doflamingo nearly tripped over even with the light rocking of the ship. His pink clothes were so stained they looked almost nauseous. He was blinking madly as he collapsed to a chair and slumped over table, casting a venomous look at Crocodile.

"Good morning," Mihawk greeted coolly, a little louder than was strictly necessary. "Or should I say, good afternoon."

Doflamingo winced. "Voice… keep it down…" he gasped with agony, burying his face in to the table.

Crocodile, Mihawk noted, kept the foghorn close at hand. Doflamingo could barely even speak. "Food…" Doflamingo gulped. "I need food."

"There's some oats on the table," Crocodile replied calmly, still focused on his map.

" _Oats_?" Doflamingo stammered, wide-eyed.

"I'm sorry," Crocodile drawled, glancing upwards. "But all of our over supplies were ruined when _somebody_ destroyed a town during a hurricane."

Doflamingo groaned and nearly collapsed. He looked close to tears. "Coffee…" he stammered weakly. "I need _coffee_."

Crocodile carefully picked up his mug and took a final sip. "Oops," he muttered with a smirk. "I must have used the last of it this morning."

Doflamingo's head collided against the table weakly. Mihawk stared at his captain sceptically. "Just how much did you have to drink last night?"

He shook his head. "I don't know," Doflamingo admitted. "I lost count after the second keg."

Mihawk frowned but didn't respond. Crocodile gingerly folded his maps away. "Well, there's work to _do_ ," Crocodile ordered firmly. "The ship was damaged in the storm; we've got repairs to make before Whalebone."

" _Now_?!" Doflamingo muttered helplessly.

"Of course." Crocodile stood up. He was still holding the foghorn. "We've been waiting for you to wake up all morning."

Mihawk sighed and sheathed his sword, rolling his shoulders as he stood up. Crocodile was standing impatiently behind Doflamingo, who seemed to be having trouble moving. Gingerly, Kuma stood up from the corner, and for the first time Doflamingo noticed the large teenager's presence.

"Wait a second…" Doflamingo frowned, staring at Kuma. "Who the hell is this guy?"

He glanced back at Mihawk and Crocodile with confusion. They both shrugged.

"I never bothered to ask a name," Crocodile said dryly.

"He just kind of showed up," Mihawk scratched his head, but not really paying attention.

Kuma stared at Doflamingo with wide-eyed hope. "My name's Kuma," he said helpfully.

"Well, hello there Kuma," Doflamingo replied with sarcasm. "What the hell are you doing on my ship?"

Kuma looked heartbroken. Mihawk rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I think you invited him to join the crew," Mihawk recalled.

" _I did_?!"

Kuma nodded eagerly. Doflamingo looked confused. "But I was drunk!" He protested. "Was there anyone else I invited last night?"

Neither Crocodile nor Mihawk responded to that one. Kuma was staring at Doflamingo with wide-eyed innocence, but too timid to speak.

"We could always just throw him overboard," Crocodile suggested after a few seconds silence.

"Nah," Mihawk muttered. Kuma was so heavy that even the planks underfoot were creaking dangerously with his weight. The swordsman couldn't be bothered to try and lift Kuma over the ledge. "Too much effort."

Doflamingo sighed, staring at Kuma exasperatedly. "Fine, you can stay," Doflamingo conceded tiredly. "Just… try and make yourself useful or something…"

The large teenager grinned happily. He started to say something, but then Crocodile jammed a mop and bucket into his hands. "If you time to stand there," Crocodile ordered nastily. "Then you have time to clean down all the floors."

Kuma stared at the mop with shock. "But –" he tried to protest.

"Get moving!"

Kuma recoiled as if he had been physically hurt. With a miserable slouch, Kuma threw the mop over his shoulder and slumped away like a wounded little puppy. Crocodile waited until Kuma started mopping down the floor before allowing himself a smirk. He was going to have fun with Kuma.

"We've got to fix the mast and the sail," Crocodile ordered roughly to Mihawk and Doflamingo. "Otherwise we'll be torn to pieces going up Reverse Mountain."

Mihawk frowned, stomping out the door. "Talk to me like that again and I'll cut you in half."

Crocodile snorted derisively. "It's cute how you think you're threatening."

"Do I _have_ to throw you into the air again?" The swordsman threatened in a low growl. At once, the argument begun again, causing Doflamingo to groan as the sound scraped against his pounding head like nails on a chalkboard.

"Oh, this is going to be a long day," Doflamingo moaned, pushing the chair back roughly. The bright sunlight burned his eyes, while the salty air made his throat sting. His head was spinning so much it was hard to enough walk in a straight line.

It was only when he staggered outside and tried to focus on the huge expanse of ocean, seeing nothing but wide, open sea, that Doflamingo started to feel a little better. Not much better, but it helped.

Crocodile paused at the prow of the ship, staring out over the ocean.

"Do you see that lighthouse in the distance?" He pointed at the faint outline, barely visible in the bright light. "That is the light of guidance. We are now approaching the entrance to the Grand Line."

* * *

The sail had been ripped and torn from the winds, while the wooden mast splintered so badly it was a wonder it hadn't collapsed. Crocodile brought out the tools and then ordered Mihawk to get started, and the two of them nearly came to blows in the resulting scuffle. Doflamingo sat on the deck, monotonously using his power to stitch up the ripped sail, his eyes unfocused as his hands mouthed in a steady rhythm, the string threading from his fingers.

The hardest worker of the group was Kuma, who was diligently cleaning the deck. Not that anybody paid him any attention.

Mihawk looked down at Doflamingo curiously. "You're still not feeling well, are you?" He asked quietly.

"I'm fine," Doflamingo moaned, trying to ignore the throbbing in his skull.

"Really?" Mihawk wondered, already walking away. "Well, you've just stitched your shirt to the sail."

"Goddamnit!"

Crocodile was busy spinning a saw of sand in the palm of his hand to cut through the splintered wood. Mihawk watched him for a few seconds, before turning to Kuma curiously.

"Hey," Mihawk asked finally. "What's your story?"

Kuma hesitated. "My story?"

Mihawk frowned. "Why did you just join up with a pirate ship?"

Kuma's mouth dropped open. "This is a _pirate_ ship?" He asked with shock.

Crocodile paused, turning to stare at Kuma and trying to judge if he was deviously cunning or just really simply. Kuma's face was the picture of wide-eyed innocence. "You didn't even know that?" Crocodile muttered dryly.

Kuma shook his head. "I _was_ wondering why all those marines were chasing you back then," he said with sudden realisation. He looked quite proud of himself for putting it together. Crocodile deadpanned.

"Are you going to the Grand Line?" Kuma asked curiously.

Mihawk nodded. "That's great!" Kuma said excitedly. "I've wanted to search the Grand Line for ages. I've been looking for a ship going from the West Blue to the Grand Line."

Crocodile frowned. "This is the _East_ Blue."

Kuma looked confused. "Are you sure?" He asked after a moment's hesitation.

"Yes, of course I'm sure," Crocodile said irritably, staring at Kuma incredulously. "You're in the East Blue right now."

"Oh," Kuma muttered. "I _thought_ I might have taken a wrong turn a few streets back…"

It took Crocodile a long time to respond. The navigator was still looking at Kuma disbelieving. "You mean you were so lost you thought were on the wrong side of the planet?"

Kuma nodded. "At least that explains why north and south were in the wrong direction."

Crocodile was quiet for a while. Then, he decided not to respond and simply turned his back on Kuma. Mihawk glanced at Kuma curiously.

"So what are you searching for?" The swordsman asked eventually.

Kuma bit his lip in hesitation. "I want to find a man," he admitted, unwillingly. "A man called Vegapunk, he's…"

His voice trailed off, clearly reluctant to say anymore. Mihawk stared at him for half a second with piercing eyes, before shrugging and walking away. Doflamingo was still monotonously stitching up the sail, his eyes distant and tired, while Crocodile frowned as he stared at the broken mast, skewed at the base.

"Oi, you!" Crocodile ordered at Kuma. "Come here!"

Obediently, the overgrown teenager stood up, nearly tripping over his feet. The wood creaked with every step.

"Hold the mast straight while we fix it," Crocodile snapped. Kuma nodded eagerly. Kuma had the type of personality that encouraged people to step on him. He was the mental equivalent of a doormat.

Slowly, Kuma wrapped his thick arms around the mast. With a tremendous wooden groan and grunt of exertion, Kuma slowly heaved the huge mast across until it was straight. His arms bulged heavily as tonnes of wood were held firmly in place. Even Doflamingo looked impressed.

"Good," Crocodile said, taking his time picking out the nails. "Now hold it there until we're done."

Kuma responded with a small 'eek'. His face was slowly turning red. Crocodile started to nail the splintered wood back together, and smeared resin across the cracked. Doflamingo sat moodily on the deck, mindlessly stitching the sail together, and watching the sun drift across the sky. The _Warship_ floated across the gentle ocean, idly drifting in the light current.

Eventually, even the gentle rocking started to make Doflamingo feel sick. "I've got to go lie down," he muttered slowly, dropping the half repaired sail down.

Crocodile nodded and walked with him. "Good idea," he muttered dryly. "We've got a meal of oats to look forward to."

"We really need to get a chef on this boat…" Mihawk commented.

"We need a chef that can make a good hangover cure," Doflamingo murmured under his breath.

Kuma was just about to relax, when Crocodile spun round. "Don't you dare let go of that mast," the navigator warned darkly. "You've got to hold it until the resin sets – at least a couple of hours."

Kuma gulped, his arms already straining from holding on to the mast so tightly. "But… but…" Kuma stammered helplessly. "I've really got to go to the toilet…"

"Any mess you make you have to clean up," Crocodile said dismissively, leaving a panicked and nervous Kuma staring after them. "But you are forbidden to let go of the mast."

Kuma gave a panicked squeak. Mihawk glanced at Crocodile incredulously. "You are a horrible, horrible person, you know that, right?" The swordsman muttered.

"I try."

* * *

As the sun started to set, Doflamingo was left nearly comatose, lying on the deck and staring blankly at the sky. Occasionally, Crocodile had to come round and poke him just to check he was still alive. Mihawk retired to train at the rear of the ship, while Kuma was left to suffer Crocodile's constant demands. Crocodile enjoyed casual cruelty, and Kuma would follow any order mindlessly so long as it was said in a firm tone of voice. It was a match made in hell.

 _If this keeps up_ , Doflamingo thought with a flash of pity, _eventually Kuma is just going to snap_ …

Doflamingo wondered if he should do something to intervene, but then decided against it. _It'll be more fun just to watch Kuma snap_ , Doflamingo decided.

As dusk set, there was a cry that signalled the News Coo flying overhead with the evening newspaper. Crocodile casually called the bird down and paid with a fake coin, unrolling the paper only to pause at the front page and posters that dropped out.

"Huh," the navigator muttered simply. "They moved faster than I thought they would…"

With a flick of his fingers, Crocodile pulled out the poster and threw it over to Doflamingo. The captain groaned as the paper landed over his face, his bloodshot eyes struggling to read it.

"Congratulations," Crocodile muttered coolly. Around him, Kuma and Mihawk walked over to watch. "You're a wanted man now."

It took a long time for Doflamingo to focus on the picture. The caption read 'Wanted: Dead or Alive' with a large picture of a figure wearing pink standing on top of building while lightning raged around him. The number at the bottom proclaimed 45 million.

"Oh god, this is terrible…" Doflamingo muttered in despair, rubbing his eyes. "That picture is horrible! They've got the lightning all wrong! And look at my clothes! I need to send a letter of complaint!"

He turned to Crocodile hopefully. "Do you have a camera by any chance? Perhaps I could submit my own mug shot…"

"45 million," Mihawk mused, recalling his old bounty hunter days. "That's pretty good. That must be the highest from the East Blue bounty in a decade…"

Crocodile held up the paper. "You got the front page too," Crocodile noted. "' _Drunken Lunatic Destroys Town'_ …"

Doflamingo frowned, snatching the newspaper out of Crocodile's hand irritably. "Well, that's a bit unfair," Doflamingo muttered, reading the headline. "I mean, it wasn't _only_ me."

He paused as he looked through the text. "' _The Heavenly Demon_ ' Donquixote Doflamingo," he read, musing over his new moniker. "Someone's been talking to my old family…"

 _No wonder they pushed the bounty poster out so quickly_ , Doflamingo decided, _There must be tremors going through Mariejois right now. If only I could have seen their reactions when they realised that a former World Noble has become an infamous pirate_ …

A vicious smile cut through his face. _Still, I'll see their reactions when I rip their bodies inside out_ , he thought with bloodlust, _Mother… Father… I'm heading_ home _…_

Crocodile looked at the poster with equal satisfaction. Suddenly, he was in good mood. A wanted poster declared Doflamingo as a rising rookie; the type that rose quickly and burned out hard. The Boss would have to take notice of a newcomer, especially if he suspected that Crocodile was pulling the strings.

As soon as they entered the Grand Line, fireworks would begin. And Doflamingo would be nothing more than a puppet.

Everyone else was too busy staring at the newspaper to notice Crocodile's evil grin. Eventually, Doflamingo stood up triumphantly. "That's it!" The captain proclaimed. "I am now a pirate! I need a pirate flag!"

There was a pause as his sluggish mind tried to think of a suitable Jolly Roger. When no inspiration struck, Doflamingo turned to point at Kuma.

"You!" Doflamingo ordered. "Go draw a Jolly Roger on the sails!"

Kuma hesitated. "Um… of what?"

"… I don't know, just think of something," Doflamingo said irritably. "Just make it cool!"

"I'm not a very good artist…" Kuma muttered with panic.

"Well, keep it simple. Go draw a smiley face or something," Doflamingo said sarcastically, already turning away. Kuma looked around for a second, before rushing away to fetch a paint brush.

Crocodile was staring at him with mild bemusement. "How far away are we from the Grand Line?" Doflamingo demanded loudly.

The navigator just shrugged. "Not far." He pointed to the outline of a huge object in the distance, outlined by the setting sun. "We're sailing near the edge of the Calm Belt right now. As soon as we hoist the sails we can reach Reverse Mountain fairly quickly."

"Then do it!" Doflamingo ordered, his eagerness overpowering his hangover.

"It's going to be a rough journey," Crocodile warned.

Doflamingo's face paled. Even the thought of bumpy waves made his stomach feel nauseous. Doflamingo hesitated. "I don't think I could survive rough seas…" he admitted reluctantly.

Crocodile nodded understandingly. "Alright, that settles it," he smirked. "Raise the sails! We're heading off right now!"

"What?" Doflamingo panicked, just as Kuma hoisted the newly repaired sails upwards. "That's not what I said –"

As the wind hit the fabric, the acceleration caused Doflamingo to topple to the ground. The _Warship_ started to move again as the steady wind pushed them forward. Doflamingo was left groaning as even the small thuds with the waves caused his head to spin, and it was hard to even focus on anything. He could hear Crocodile sniggering next to him as the caravel dropped to full mast, causing everything to shudder as the whole ship accelerated.

Eventually, Doflamingo managed to pull himself upwards to focus on the sails that were billowing in the wind. A new emblem glistened on the fabric in wet paint. Doflamingo stared for a long time.

"Kuma…" He muttered with shock. "You didn't just seriously give me a smiley face for a Jolly Roger, right?"

Kuma started to twitch. "You told me to!" He pleaded helplessly, but then everything was cut off as the sun disappeared from view. A gigantic shadow loomed over the ship.

"Wow, that's big…" Mihawk muttered in awe, folding his arms. Kuma was already clinging to the mast in shock. Around them, the current and wind started to increase in intensity, forcing the ship forward with breakneck speed.

"That's Reverse Mountain," Crocodile said with satisfaction, staring upwards at solid peak of stone half-hidden in the clouds. "You didn't think that entering the Grand Line would be _easy_ , now did you?"

"Get to the rudder!" Mihawk ordered loudly, while Doflamingo collapsed clutching his tortured head. The captain's face was so pale he looked ready to peak. The Warship just kept on accelerating. There was a gap in the cliff of solid stone, and the current was forcing them straight upwards. Mihawk stared with shock. "Is the water flowing upwards?"

"The Grand Line is a weird place," Crocodile replied with a shrug, watching the cliffs of stone approach. The entrance was a small waterway, supported by heavy metal pillars, and the current was so powerful the water was being forced straight up the mountain.

Behind them, Kuma tried furiously to hold the rudder in place. The wooden handle tremored in his iron grip. There was a sudden crack.

"Um… guys…?" Kuma muttered weakly, holding up the broken handle. "Is it supposed to do that?"

Mihawk's mouth dropped opened. Even Crocodile looked momentarily lost for woods. Without control of the rudder, the ship was veering off course in the furious current. The stone wall accelerated quickly into view.

Doflamingo rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Oh, I am _way_ too hung-over for this…"

With a fluid motion, a net of string burst from his fingertips and launched out of the starboard side, wrapping around the pillars of iron. The force dragged him across the deck, but Doflamingo landed in an unmovable bear hug from Kuma and somehow managed to keep a hold of the string. The air was crushed out of him and it felt like his arm would burst from its socket, but then the _Warship_ started to twist around. The port side scraped against the stone so closely it lost the paint.

The next second, everything was flying upwards. Doflamingo was still trapped in Kuma's grip, which was just as well because his legs had been turned to jelly. Everything rushed by him so quickly it made his stomach churn. Crocodile and Mihawk were at the prow of the ship, clutching on tightly as they burst through the cloud layer.

"Now all we have to do is go down…" Crocodile muttered to himself, just as the _Warship_ flew over the peak.

For half a second, they were above the clouds and overlooking the vast ocean below, so high up that even the islands looked like dots.

"So this is the Grand Line…" Mihawk muttered, just before gravity reasserted itself and everything went plummeting downwards.

They dropped faster than any rollercoaster. Suddenly, Doflamingo was laughing again. If he had eaten anything, he would have lost it, but now he was feeling so delirious he didn't even care about his hangover. Kuma lost his footing and was left rolling backwards, while Doflamingo managed to thread his string enough to clutch on to the prow.

"Hey!" Mihawk exclaimed, his keen eyes picking something out of the fog. "I see something below…"

Crocodile smirked. This was where _his_ game began…

A huge white object burst from the fog. It was so large it looked like a small mountain, but then they managed to make out the ridges and structures around it. For half a second, Mihawk thought it was an enormous stone structure, but then…

"That is the skeleton of a giant Island Whale," Crocodile confirmed coolly, even as they plummeted downwards. The Grand Line rushed to meet them.

The closer they got the more details could be made out. There were buildings, docks, ships and even the ruins of two old lighthouses, all cradled under the skeleton of the leviathan whale. Crocodile's eyes glistened. Finally, he had returned…

"Welcome to Whalebone Town," Crocodile muttered, watching the bustle of the Grand Line come into view. "The first stop in the Grand Line!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to make it clear, there is a parallel between the Warlords and the Straw Hat pirates:
> 
> -Doflamingo- Impulsive, reckless and carefree, looking for adventure and has a mysterious and powerful family. He's the captain, and shares some very Luffy-ish traits.
> 
> -Mihawk- A swordsman out for revenge, believes in training and being a badass, clearly similar to Zoro.
> 
> -Crocodile- The navigator, teamed up with the crew originally (didn't join) solely to scam them, enjoys bossing people around and making money; seems a lot like Nami.
> 
> -Kuma- Doesn't really have a clear role and no one's really sure what he's doing there, but he's entertaining enough and has some useful skills so everyone just accepts him, much like Usopp.
> 
> And, yes, the remaining members of the crew will follow this theme :)
> 
> Next time:
> 
> The fifth member (an overly chivalrous martial arts fighter with a huge amount of honour and a liking for fish) appears...


	17. Whalebone

Whalebone Town stood at the base of Reverse Mountain, a bustle of noise and ships that drowned out even the rushing torrent of water flowing into the Grand Line. Every town had its own personality; some were organised and peaceful, others were loud and colourful, but Whalebone Town seemed to have grown into its surroundings like a fungus on an old log, thriving in the damp and cold. The buildings were worn and beaten from the vicious, salty sea air, a silhouette of brown and grey on the bleak horizon, yet at the same time the noise of a buzzing trade filled the air.

The smooth bones of the deceased Island Whale had been bleached perfect white by the sun. At some point, the colossal skeleton must have washed up against the coast, but over the years the ocean and silt had covered the bones so thoroughly it was impossible to tell where the land ended and the bones began. Half the skeleton had been buried into the earth, but it was so huge that the large town was cradled in its ribcage, while a gigantic flipper acted as the foundation for a chaotic harbour.

The whale's immense skull was barely visible under all the sand and silt that had accumulated over the years, yet an enormous eyehole could still be seen, staring almost mournfully up at the Red Line.

The Warship started to slow down as it left the channel, sailing slowly through the shadows of the spires of giant rib bones. The water was crawling with pirate ships, and there wasn't a Marine vessel in sight. Whalebone Town had a distinct appearance of a town that was still growing and being built. Many of the buildings seemed to be made out of the wrecks of old ships, while the docks were little more than wooden rafts flimsy tied together. Nevertheless, pirates and outlaws flooded the town.

It was only when the ship sailed around the collarbone of the skeleton did Doflamingo realise how expansive the corpse really was. The actual coastline must have been quite small once upon a time, but the skeleton was slowly becoming part of the landscape as the silt gather over its bones. The Island Whale was transforming into an island.

"Whoa…" Doflamingo muttered in awe, still captivated by the jagged bones piercing the sky. "This place looks so cool!"

Crocodile was the only one who wasn't amazed. He had seen it all before. The navigator simply grunted. "This place is very dangerous," he warned darkly. "All pirates wanting to enter the Grand Line have to go through here, and many stay here longer trying to decide the right route. The town is filled with washed-up pirates that lack the spirit to go on any further, while other pirates stop here to bolster their crew with prospective pirates."

Doflamingo nodded eagerly. There were pirate galleons in the harbour that dwarfed the _Warship_. Already, the loud, chaotic bustle of Whalebone Town washed over the ship. Kuma looked faintly terrified.

"Wanted criminals from all four seas funnel through here," Crocodile continued. "Which makes them easy pickings for all the bounty hunters in Whalebone. With so many unsavoury types, a whole industry has sprouted up to cater for the criminals and bounty hunters. This town is ruled by pirates, bounty hunters and criminals. If you're not strong, then you're dead."

 _And the Syndicate has a very strong presence in Whalebone_ , Crocodile added to himself. This was the mouth of the Grand Line, after all, and all of the Syndicate's illegal shipments had to pass through here. The town was full of people who would be on the lookout for Crocodile. He would have to be careful.

Mihawk frowned, analysing the town carefully. "All of these buildings look fairly new," he mused.

Crocodile shrugged. "Not that long ago, this place wasn't very special," he explained. "But then the Third Age of piracy began, and pirates flocked to the Grand Line to seek One Piece, and the throne of the Pirate King." Crocodile practically spat the words out with disgust.

The swordsman nodded quietly, still inspecting the surroundings cautiously. At either side of the canal, there were two lighthouses that seemed to be the oldest buildings around. Or rather, there were the ruins of two lighthouses. One lighthouse had crumbled into disrepair and seemed to be falling to pieces. The other lighthouse was barely recognisable; half of it was completely missing, as if it had been cut in half straight down the centre.

It took a while for Mihawk to realise what he was seeing. The damage was so vast that he didn't process it at first, but now he started to make out the distinct signs of a cut through the stone that had been weathered by age. Mihawk's eyes widened in shock.

"What the hell happened there?" Mihawk murmured slowly, pointing to the coast on the opposite side of Whalebone Town. The huge chasm was hidden by the shadows, but clearly visible when pointed out. A gaping cut stretched through solid rock of the Red Line, slicing through the landscape.

It was almost as if a blade _two miles long_ had chopped straight through the ground, cutting off a corner of Reverse Mountain. Mihawk felt the back of his neck tingle.

Everyone except Crocodile turned to gape. The navigator just muttered in a quiet voice, "One hell of a battle happened here once…"

Crocodile stood at the wheel, carefully steering the ship towards the harbour. Doflamingo was practically bouncing up and down with excitement. Mihawk had his sword ready. Kuma was sweating and looking nervous. The town of Whalebone beckoned.

With the current behind him, the ship drifted forward slowly as Crocodile furled the sails. Kuma looked around hesitantly, before picking up a paint brush and scuttling away. Doflamingo was too busy staring at the town to pay Kuma much attention. It was only after a couple of minutes that he realised he should really turn around.

Kuma was standing in front of mast, the paint brush dripping white paint. The black sails, with the crudely drawn smiley face emblazoned on it, now had a diagonal line of wet paint through the Jolly Roger.

It took Doflamingo a long time to find the words. "Kuma…" He muttered slowly. "Did you just _cross_ _out_ that Jolly Roger?"

Kuma squirmed, like a child that had been trying to use his own initiative. "But you said you didn't like it!" He protested.

" _So you just crossed it out?!_ "

Kuma's shoulders drooped in despair. Doflamingo just stared at his new Jolly Roger, complete with a line through it, before rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Oh forget it," Doflamingo decided, turning his back. "I just can't be bothered…"

As Kuma scuttled away, Doflamingo pulled himself up to the crow's nest to stare at the incoming town. As everything came into view, his early excitement returned. Mihawk rested at the prow of the ship, inspecting everything with sharp eyes.

"There aren't any Marines here…" Mihawk noted curiously.

"Marines don't use the Reverse Mountain. It's not a very safe trip, particularly for heavy battleships. This is a pirate-only entrance," Crocodile explained, gently steering the rudder. "The Marines travel in via the Calm Belts, but it is very difficult to go backwards in the Grand Line. Log Poses won't point to here, after all. That means there won't be any Marines around here."

If anything, Doflamingo looked even more excited. He was wide awake and practically jumping up and down as the ship pulled up towards the docks. Crocodile glanced behind with concern.

"Just because there aren't any Marines here does not mean you're safe," he warned cautiously. "You have a bounty on your head now, and there are plenty of people here that would be eager to claim it. It's best to be cautious, and don't do anything–"

"Yeah…" Mihawk interrupted dryly, pointing to a flash of pink disappearing into the crowd on the docks. "He's already gone."

Crocodile blinked twice. "Of course he is," the navigator murmured. "Why do I even bother?"

Mihawk, at least, waited until the gangway was lowered before departing. Kuma tried to hide behind the mast, hesitant and uncertain. Crocodile inspected the docks critical, but made no move to depart.

Mihawk glanced back curiously. "You aren't coming?"

The navigator shook his head. Whalebone Town had too many Syndicate agents crawling around. It was best that he kept a low profile. " _Somebody_ has to guard the ship," Crocodile scoffed. "And I don't trust anyone else to do it properly."

The swordsman just shrugged, walking down the gangway. "Suit yourself."

A sudden of flash of concern hit Crocodile. It wouldn't do if he lost all of his pawns so soon. "Hey!" Crocodile ordered. "This town is a maze, and I don't want you to get lost." Crocodile pointed to Kuma, who seemed suddenly alarmed. "Take him with you."

"Whatever," Mihawk muttered disinterestedly, walking away. Kuma gulped and then stomped after him, the gangway nearly snapping under Kuma's huge weight. Crocodile watched the pair leave; between Kuma's huge bulk and Mihawk's large sword the crowd parted to let them by, but quickly they were swallowed by the chaos that was Whalebone.

Crocodile sighed, and then pulled out the newspaper and started to read through it in quiet. It took him a few minutes before he realised what he did.

"Oh _damn_ it," Crocodile cursed quietly. "Those two are totally going to get lost…"

* * *

The streets of Whalebone were every bit as murky and lively as the appearance suggested. There were few actual shops, but instead there were so many stalls selling suspicious goods that the streets were funnelled. It was almost as if the stall owners were trying to barricade the path to force people to buy their wares. Still, pirates, vagrants and criminals flocked down the narrow alleys. It would have been a stampede if they were all going in the same direction. The whole street had a fluid, ever-changing feel to it, as if you could walk down it each day and it would always be different.

Mihawk had to slam his way through the crowds of people, but Kuma had a natural advantage. For all the large teenager was timid, he had a habit of tripping over his feet and trampling dozens of men into the dirt. A stumbling Kuma cleared the path faster cannon fire.

The pickpockets were everywhere, boldly darting through the crowd from all directions. There were street urchins and beggars that would raid anything that looked valuable. Eight different pickpockets tried to raid Mihawk's clothes, and then eight pickpockets were suddenly left cradling broken wrists. Between that and Kuma storming his way through like an apologetic but confused rhino, a whisper went through the crowd and the pair were then given a wide berth.

Mihawk spent a while inspecting the various knives and swords on display, with a faint look of disdain on his face. A slimy merchant peered at Mihawk suspiciously.

"These are all junk," Mihawk muttered disapprovingly at the poor metalwork. Most of the blades weren't even fit to eat with. He dropped the sword back on the stall.

"But you've already got a sword," Kuma noted.

Mihawk shrugged. "Not a very good one," he admitted. The sword across his back was fairly solid, but it was more like a lump of steel rather than a fine blade. _Then again_ , Mihawk thought bitterly, _every sword was a lump of steel compared to Yoru_. "I need a better one."

The bustling crowd and pushy merchants started to grind against Mihawk's nerves, so he grabbed Kuma and pulled his down a nearby back alley. A group of men lurking in the shadows seemed to be preparing for an ambush, but they took one look at Mihawk's eyes and Kuma's size and thought better of it. A would-be robber waved nervous Mihawk as he passed.

Suddenly, they were in a quieter street, walking down to the edges docks. Perhaps this was the 'respectable' side. The buildings looked slightly less dirty. The warm sun was shining brightly, yet nearly everything in Whalebone was shaded by the huge arc of the massive ribcage.

Mihawk and Kuma walked in awkward silence. It suddenly occurred to Mihawk that they had never really talked.

"So…" Mihawk muttered uncertainly, trying to find some common ground. "… You're really, really big, then?" He finished lamely.

Kuma frowned. "Umm… yes…?"

"Ok," the swordsman nodded awkwardly. He tried desperately to think of a follow-up question. "So, is it cooler up there?"

Kuma appeared to have a lot of trouble with that question. "I'm not sure," he said after a long time pondering the subject. "What temperature is it down there?"

Mihawk grimaced. There was about two and a half metres height difference between them, even with Kuma slouching. "How should I know?" Mihawk growled. "About thirty degrees, maybe?"

"Oh." Kuma's face contorted with extreme thought. "How much is that?"

He sighed. "How the hell am I meant to describe a temperature?"

Kuma looked puzzled for a while, before of flash of inspiration hit him. "How about we get a litre of water and see how long it takes it to boil?" He suggested, looking quite proud of himself as he recalled his old school days.

Mihawk didn't respond straight away. "You know," he said slowly. "I think we're getting a little off-topic here…"

"Oh." The disappointment was clear on Kuma's face. He'd been quite looking forward to that science experiment for a little while. "Ok."

The awkward silence returned with a vengeance. They both kept on walking down the street slowly. Slowly, Kuma's stomach started to growl so loudly that the cobblestones nearly shuddered.

Mihawk glanced at his podgy stomach. Kuma looked sheepish. "When was the last time you ate?"

"Um… I'm not sure…" Kuma confessed.

"Well, what did you have breakfast?" Mihawk asked impatiently.

"Breakfast?" Kuma looked confused.

"What about supper yesterday, then?"

"Wait," Kuma muttered with puzzlement. "You mean you have something to eat _every day_?"

Mihawk glanced at Kuma incredulously. _It is so much easier dealing with sociopaths like Crocodile or psychopaths like Doflamingo_ , Mihawk decided finally, _at least I can understand_ them. Anyone as timid as Kuma made Mihawk feel weirdly uncomfortable. Mihawk just wasn't used to having to be _sympathetic_.

Mihawk sighed. "We'll try to find a stall selling something edible," he conceded finally.

Kuma grinned like a child on his birthday. "Maybe we could go to a restaurant?" He suggested hopefully.

The swordsman frowned. "We're in one of the greatest hovels and criminal's den in the world," Mihawk muttered, just as they turned a corner heading to the seafront. "What sort of restaurant would be in a town like–"

He stopped talking as soon as he looked out to sea. Kuma was smiling like a fool. Standing in front of them was a huge structure of fancy polished wood and luxurious balconies, with cream tables sheltered under colourful umbrellas, and the delicious scent of hot food drifting on the wind.

Mihawk sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Sometimes irony hates me…"

"It smells so good!" Kuma squealed excitedly. The sound of gulls filled the air, attracted by the smell of cooking fish. "Can we go?"

The swordsman nodded in defeat. Mihawk had absolutely no problem fighting a vicious grizzly. The prospect of kicking an innocent little teddy bear like Kuma just rendered him helpless.

It was only when they approached the restaurant did Mihawk realise what was so strange with it. The entire four-story building was built onto a huge ship surrounded by a wooden platform-like fins. Five large orange and blue masts protruded from the roof, with the sails furled up. There were fancy tables with wineglasses surrounding the main structure. Everything looked spotless; a stark contrast to the dirt covering the rest of Whalebone.

"A floating restaurant…" Mihawk mused. The ship itself had a figurehead shaped like a huge whale's mouth, and it was docked in the middle of two enormous rib bones. Despite the location, it looked like a five-star restaurant, and even seemed quite busy.

A banner at the helm proudly proclaimed the 'Baratie'.

Curiously, Mihawk walked down towards the ship, crossing via a long gangway. The thought of food had seemingly taken over Kuma's mind and he was rushing ahead in front. As they entered the restaurant, Mihawk was mildly shocked by how calm everything was inside. The place was crowded, loud and fairly hectic, but it was much more civil than what Mihawk would have expected from a town like Whalebone. The carpet was even clean.

Mihawk and Kuma entered a chef wearing a large white hat and a dark suit came bustling over to them. "Good evening!" He said with a large grin. "Welcome to the Baratie. Do you have an appointment?"

"No," Mihawk replied coldly. "We're looking for something to eat."

The man's eyes flickered to the sword across Mihawk's back, but his grin never faltered. "Of course!" He said brightly. "At the Baratie, it is company policy never to turn away a hungry patron!"

Kuma was drooling. Mihawk's eyes glanced around suspiciously, still not trusting this restaurant that seemed too good to be true. The restaurant was filled with pirates and criminals; he couldn't understand why everyone was so well-behaved.

The chef didn't move. "However," he continued cheerfully. "I must forewarn you that anybody who causes trouble within these premises will be immediately _barred._

Mihawks eyes narrowed. "And… just so there's no misunderstanding between us…" The chef said happily, while heaving an object up from behind the counter. It looked like a small girder, solid steel, yet the chef lifted it with ease. "…here's the bar!"

 _Ahh_ , Mihawk thought with realisation, _that makes more sense_. The swordsman relaxed slightly, while the chef bustled away, leading them towards an empty table. Kuma was practically bouncing along. As Kuma sat down, the chair groaned in agony and nearly snapped.

The chef dropped two menus down before excusing himself. "I must go," he apologised. "Call one of the other chefs when you're ready to order."

"Chefs?" Mihawk frowned. "Doesn't this place have any waiters?"

He only laughed. "No; the Baratie Corporation has always had trouble keeping waiters."

The chef bustled away quickly. All of the chefs seemed to be hectically flocking around the floor, carrying large platters of food and serving customers. The restaurant was bigger than Mihawk realised: there were at least a hundred patrons on this level alone. Still, the food flowing out of the kitchens never seemed to cease.

At least half of the food went into a red door at the end of the ship. The chefs rushed in and out of there in a frenzy, carrying enough food to feed an army, but there were two heavily muscled men wearing tight singlets and sweatshirts that guarded against anyone else entering. The other patrons kept their distance.

Mihawk frowned as he stared at the menu. Most of it was in French and he could only recognise half of the meals, but somehow it all sounded delicious. At the top of the menu, it read: 'The Baratie Restaurant Chain – With over 300 Locations across the Grand Line and New World!'

His confusion must have registered on his face. On a nearby table, a large, bulky old man with fluffy white beard chuckled quietly. "You new here?" The old man asked Mihawk. "The newcomers are always surprised how Baratie works. Just don't cause a mess, eat all of your food, and pay your bill and you'll be fine."

Mihawk scoffed. "This restaurant is insane."

"It's a bloody brilliant idea," the old man grumbled, taking a large bite of a burger. "More than one man has been shipwrecked and starving on a deserted island only to find a restaurant floating towards him. They'll feed anyone, you know."

"What if you can't pay?"

"Oh, they'll still feed you," the man chuckled with a grim smile. "But then it's company policy to kill you afterwards."

The old man returned to his meal. Mihawk glanced around cautiously, but everyone else seemed to be well-behaved. After a few seconds hesitation, he checked his wallet to make sure he had enough money.

His wallet was running worryingly low, and this meal was sure to a good chunk out of what was left. Mihawk scowled, before noticing a sign above the counter reading 'Mercenary Help Wanted: Good Pay'. Mihawk took a note of it quietly. He had never _stopped_ being a bounty hunter, after all.

Kuma was busy staring at the menu like it was a dream come true. It was nearly half an hour before the chef came rushing back.

"I'm sorry about the delay. We've got a VIP in the other room that's taking up a lot of time," he motioned briefly to the red door. The stream of food flowing into that room hadn't ceased. "Still, the Baratie will never leave a customer hungry! May I take your order?"

"Yes," Kuma nodded definitely, handing him the menu.

There was a moment's silence. Kuma was staring at the chef expectantly. "…And what would you like, sir?" The chef asked finally.

"That," Kuma pointed to the menu. "All of it. Everything."

A brief look of dread flew across his face, but it was quickly swallowed by a pleasant smile. Company policy, Mihawk assumed – never leave a customer hungry. The chef turned to Mihawk.

"And what about you?" The chef asked.

"I'm–"

Without warning, the chef just turned around and rushed away. Mihawk looked confused as the man hurried to the entrance, where two young ladies just walked through the door. "Oi! I wasn't finished!" Mihawk growled with indignation.

It was ten minutes later before the chef came back. Both of the ladies were taken straight to a window seat, and given a complementary drink. The chef at least had the dignity to look slightly embarrassed.

"I'm sorry," he apologised to Mihawk. "But it's company policy; all women get priority treatment and a half price meal."

Mihawk stared. "What sort of fool would make a rule like that?"

He didn't answer. Mihawk still couldn't quite belief this place. He recognised a surprising large number of high-bounty wanted criminals, dangerous pirates, yet they were all just drinking and eating together civilly.

"I don't get this place," Mihawk muttered. "A ship like this must be an easy target for every pirate around."

The chef shrugged. "The chefs are tough enough to hold our own. Besides, even murderous pirates appreciate a good meal. Also, the CEO is a _very_ powerful New World pirate. Even the big names think twice before messing with him."

Mihawk pointed to the posters over the bar. "Then why are you recruiting mercenaries?"

At once, the chef's attitude shifted. The forced cheerfulness disappeared. "You interested in taking the job?" He demanded.

Mihawk shrugged. Kuma was looking between them confusedly. "Depends, what's the pay?"

"Fifteen million Beli," he answered coolly. "Plus a coupon redeemable in all our stores."

The swordsman's eyes glinted. He did need money for a new sword, and fifteen million was a good payday. "Ok, say I'm interested," he replied curiously. "What's the job?"

"Our supply ships are being raided. We've got stores, but lots of chefs are worrying that we might run out of food," he muttered that last bit like it was the worst possible fate imaginable. The chef paused slightly, before mumbling under his breath with a dark glance towards the red door. "And it doesn't help that she's eating her through our emergency supplies…"

"I thought you didn't have problems with pirates," Mihawk commented.

"We don't. Not usually. Most of them aren't stupid enough," he retorted. "But this guy's been attacking our supply ships, and our chefs are all too busy to deal with it."

"Who?"

He half-shrugged. "Some low-level criminal with illusions of grandeur. I hear he even calls himself an 'admiral', but he's nothing more than a little fish too scared to head into the deep waters. Nothing more than a food thief," he explained, his voice thick with disdain and contempt.

"The guy's called Gin the ' _Man-Demon'_ ," the chef snorted derisively. "He's just some _thug_."

* * *

Doflamingo decided very early on that he loved Whalebone Town. He loved the atmosphere, he loved the violence. He loved how everyone was only out for themselves, and he loved how every citizen seemed to gang up on the weak almost instinctively. Doflamingo had always had a very… _harsh_ view on the human condition and the nature of violence, and Whalebone Town made him feel fully justified.

He was grinning madly as he strolled through the town. Twelve different people tried to rob him, and that just always put Doflamingo in a good mood.

It was only when he reached the far side of the town did he see the first thing about Whalebone Town that he _really_ didn't like. There was a large ship docked on a rib bone, unloading large crates down to a shoddy wooden platform. Quietly and without smiling, Doflamingo walked down towards the private dock. Someone might have tried to stop him, but he wasn't really paying attention. They certainly didn't do a very successful job.

Nobody paid him much attention on the docks. Everyone was too busy, and Doflamingo walked like he belonged there. It was easy for him to slip in.

The closer he got to the crates, the more his skin started to squirm. "What are you unloading?" Doflamingo asked a nearby deckhand quietly.

The deckhand just shrugged uncaringly. "Cargo."

This close, Doflamingo could clearly make out the bars on the crates, and the figures trapped inside the cages. There were dozens of crates each with at least one person inside, all stacked up across the dock.

"That looks like _slaves_ to me," Doflamingo muttered darkly.

The deckhand wasn't the least bit concerned. "Cargo is cargo," he said indifferently. "The Syndicate deals in all sorts of business."

As the deckhand rushed away help heave a heavy cage holding three teenage girls onto the dock, Doflamingo took a deep, calming breath. He could already feel his fists clenching.

Doflamingo _despised_ slavery. He hated the very concept of it. People deserved to fight to death in bloody glory, not locked up in chains for the rest of their lives. Only weak men owned slaves, and that was an abomination against the natural order.

And, worst of all, the sight of so many slaves dragged up memories of his childhood, in Mariejois, surrounded by those pompous weaklings and their _slaves_ …

Around him, people were rushing around to unload the 'cargo'. Doflamingo slowly felt a cold fury rise from within his chest…

"You," a gruff voice ordered suddenly. "Release me."

Doflamingo turned, where a large iron cage stood by the corner of the docks. This cage was more heavily reinforced than most, yet the figure inside of it had still been chained up bulky manacles. The person inside was half-hidden by the shadows. All Doflamingo could make out was a broad outline, and a ferocious glare.

"What?" Doflamingo demanded, approaching the cage slowly. Everyone on the dock seemed too busy to notice.

"Are you deaf or just stupid, _human_?" The man growled, spitting the word 'human' like it was the worst possible insult. " _Release_. _Me_."

Doflamingo eyes narrowed. "Why should I? Who are you?"

"Does it matter who I am?" His voice was as rough and brusque as sandpaper, quivering with barely restrained rage. " _You_ do not work for the Syndicate. You are trespassing here, so you must be looking for something. So release me."

"Or what?" Doflamingo snorted. "You'll tell everyone I'm here?"

"No," the slave snarled furiously. "Release me, so that I can kill them all."

A slow grin spread across Doflamingo's face. He was starting to like this guy. "And what about me?" He asked sarcastically. "How do I know you won't attack me too?"

Up close, Doflamingo started to make out more details. The man was huge, and distinctly nonhuman. Even when he was on his knees he was still taller than most men, and so broad that his body looked almost circular. He was wearing dirty rags, yet his muscles rippled across his body. His skin was pale blue.

"Make no mistake, _human_ ," he growled darkly, with a mouth dominated by huge tusks, the chains rattling as he struggled. "I am no slave, I am no _human_ and I'm no honourless cur. I am the _Knight of the Sea_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: 'Little Fish, Big Sea'...


	18. Little Fish, Big Sea

The Admiral of the Pirate Amada, the conqueror of the Grand Line, the Demon of Battle, sighed as he watched the small compass on his desk spin round madly. Outside, the waves roared as the heavy ship cut through unpredictable weather. Gin could hear the shouting from deck as his men fought to restrain the thrashing sails.

The compass was actually an old relic from ten years ago, but it felt closer to a lifetime ago. It was a huge metal compass in an ornate black box, well-built and sturdy despite its age. Back when Gin first entered the Grand Line, sailing under the 'infamous' Don Krieg in the first Pirate Armada of fifty ships and five thousand men, they had relied on that compass to guide them. They had been fools. Only Log Poses could be used to navigate in the Grand Line; the magnetic fields were too strong for ordinary compasses to work. The Krieg Pirates were cut in half on the first day alone by the weather, and then even further on the second. More by pure luck than anything else, what little remained of the Krieg Pirates managed to shelter on a small island called Whiskey Peak, while a storm raged around them.

The very thought still made Gin shudder. In the East Blue, the Krieg Pirates had been big fish. In the Grand Line, they were eaten alive.

In the end, it wasn't even the weather that finished them. Don Krieg, in all his foul glory, tried to stay on Whiskey Peak and set up a trap for the next pirates to pass through, to rebuild crew strength and morale and conquer the Grand Line one dirty trick at a time. Back then, Gin followed the Krieg blindly. As it happens, ten years ago, the first pirates that fell into Krieg's trap was a small group of five, led by a brat with a straw hat.

It was a surprise ambush; hundreds of men against five kids. Looking back, the battle had been totally one-sided. The invincible Don Krieg, with all his military might, was pounded into a pulp. Gin fought more furiously than ever before, but he was still kicked in the face so hard that, even ten year later, his neck still hurt. The Krieg Pirates had been crushed.

Gin stared at the compass spinning for a bit longer. The dark shadows under his eyes were worse than ever. He had only recently turned forty, but years of restless nights made him look much older. _There are big fish and little fish_ , Gin thought to himself, _and I know which one I am_ …

The memories of that day, of that crushing defeat, were still vivid. Gin had learnt a lot that day. He learnt what Grand Line level really was. He learnt what a fool Don Krieg is, and he realised that he had spent too long following another man's dream.

 _And I learnt the type of man I really want to be_ , Gin thought quietly. The image of a black leg blurring towards his face flickered in front of his eyes.

"We should attack now," Krieg said firmly, interrupting Gin's daydreams. The former Pirate Admiral stood in front of Gin's desk, with a dark scowl on his face. "The men have been too long without a proper battle. We need victory."

Krieg had never really adjusted to being someone's subordinate, but that was fine because Gin wasn't really comfortable being in charge. Still, Krieg _needed_ Gin. Ever since that day, it had become painfully obvious that Gin was the _real_ strength of the crew. If it wasn't for Gin, the crew would never have survived, but they weren't the Krieg Pirates anymore. Gin refused to ever take orders again. His honour wouldn't let him.

"And what do you suggest?" Gin muttered, not looking up from the spinning compass. Don Krieg was a big man, and he wore heavy armour with a small arsenal of weapons. By contrast, Gin was lean, skinny and small. Krieg's armour was polished to perfection and his hair smoothed back almost regally. Gin was still wore shaggy tracksuit bottoms, a grey jacket, with a blue and grey headband.

"There are Syndicate slave ships going in and out of Whalebone," Krieg said loudly. "Big ships, low in the water. We can take them. Let's give the men a victory to be proud of, and let's show the Syndicate that we are a force to be reckoned with."

Gin paused. Outside, the weather was still wild and unpredictable. In this section of the Grand Line, it could change from freezing to summer in an instant. "What about the slaves?"

Krieg shrugged. "I've spoken to a trio of… _enterprising_ fishmen called the Macro Pirates," he explained. "They'd be quite happy to buy Syndicate property at a generous rate. We then use the money to expand our forces."

Gin shook his head firmly. "No," he ordered. "There is no honour in slaves."

A flash of anger burst in Krieg's eyes. Even after a decade, Don Krieg couldn't take orders very well. He still thought of them as the _Krieg_ Pirates. But despite everything, Gin _needed_ Krieg. Gin was useless at commanding the men, or the day-to-day activities of running a ship. Despite Gin's resolution to make it by himself, he would be lost without Don Krieg.

And so here they were; two men that had despised each other for a decade, stuck with each other to try and achieve their dreams. Krieg just wanted power, money and fame. Gin wanted something more. He wanted to be able to stand up with honour; on equal terms to the man he admired so much.

He thought back to all those Baratie supply ships they'd been raiding. It had never been about the pitiful plunder. Sometimes, a little fish just wanted to be noticed by the big ones.

"This isn't about honour! This is about survival!" Krieg roared. "The only way to conquer is to strike hard and dirty! No _honourable_ man is going to–"

"Enough!" Gin snapped, standing up from his desk at focusing on Krieg coldly. His pair of tonfa was suddenly in his hands. Nobody had ever really been able to figure out where he kept on hiding them. "I've made _my_ decision, _lieutenant_. Now leave."

Krieg paused, uncertainly. Even with all his armour and weaponry, the cold fire in Gin's eyes caused him to hesitate. Gin was stronger than Krieg, and always had been– even if, for a long time, both of them had refused to accept it.

After a few seconds, Krieg fumed furiously and left the Admiral's office, slamming the door so hard it nearly broke the hinges. Gin dropped back to his chair, groaning as he rested his head in his hands. Annoyingly, Krieg was right. The 'Pirate Armada' had been far too long without a major victory.

In the last ten years, they had managed to rebuild their flagship, the _Dreadnaught Sabre_. It wasn't as polished as the old one had been, but it was still a large galleon and armed to the teeth. After years of Krieg's recruitment strategies, Gin had nearly a thousand men on under his command, even if many of them were weak and fragile out-of-work pirates.

Gin glanced at the old compass, a sudden determination flaring in his chest. _It was time to see what a little fish could do_ , he thought with a grimace, clutching his tonfas tightly. With a deep breath, Gin marched out of his office and on to the deck of the _Dreadnaught Sabre_.

Krieg was at the front, yelling at dozens of men as the heaved the huge mast into the wind. " _Sea wolves_!" Gin roared, his voice louder than the wind and waves. "Prepare for battle!"

His words echoed around the ship. Krieg glanced at Gin in shock, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "What's the target?"

" _Whalebone_ ," Gin muttered darkly. "Tonight we raid the town."

* * *

"Hurry up, human," The Knight of the Sea muttered urgently. "Open this cage before the foreman spots you."

Doflamingo never moved, nor looked even remotely concerned. He peered at the fishman critically.

"Got to admit…" Doflamingo mused. "I have much more experience _buying_ slaves than freeing them."

The fishman's eyes narrowed, a guttural snarl resonating from his throat. He was obviously not human. His skin was pale blue, his body was out of proportion, and there were two slits of gills on either of side of his beefy neck. His body was so broad he was nearly round, but strangely he didn't seem fat. Just a different type of body shape.

"What's your name?" Doflamingo asked curiously.

"Why? Are you looking to buy me too?"

"I suspect you'll try to kill me if I do," Doflamingo said cheerfully. "I just want to know your name."

He hesitated for half a second, with a nervous glance to the deckhands busy with other cargo. Doflamingo would be noticed soon enough. A man dressed in bright pink couldn't be overlooked for long. "Jinbe," the fishman conceded. "My name is Jinbe."

Doflamingo grinned. "Pleased to meet you, Jinbe! Say, are you interested in joining my crew if I free you?"

Jinbe's face contorted in disgust. "I would never work for a human!" He spat. "Leave me here if that's all you want."

"Wow, you really hate humans…" Doflamingo grinned. "Why?"

Jinbe motioned to the chains and the cage. "Do you really have to ask?"

"Fair enough," Doflamingo conceded. Honestly, the cages and slaves brought back old memories. There had been a time when Doflamingo had enjoyed slaves around him just as much as the next World Noble. After years of exile, however, his view had slowly started to shift. Slavery was a bitter reminder of everything he had left behind in Mariejois.

Doflamingo looked a Jinbe curiously. "I'm wondering something; if you want to get out so badly, why not just lie and say you'll join my crew until you get free?"

The fishman snorted. "I told you; I am a man of _honour_." Jinbe growled. "I would rather die than break a promise."

Doflamingo grinned brightly. It was a good answer. Jinbe was a different species so it was a bit hard to tell, but now Doflamingo suddenly realised that Jinbe was a lot younger than he first thought. The fishman looked either high teens or low twenties. _An angry teenager_ …

There was a shout from the harbour. Another large cage filled with long-arm women and children dropped to the port. Doflamingo mused it over for a while. "Ok, say that I'm debating freeing you," he told Jinbe. "Tell me a bit about yourself first?"

Jinbe glared daggers at Doflamingo. " _Why_?"

"Just humour me."

"I must seem so _quaint_ to you," Jinbe retorted irritably, looking Doflamingo up and down, scowling at his expensive pink clothes. Jinbe was wearing rags. "Let me guess; you're nobility, used to walking around with your head held high, stepping over all the insects, always having your own way, buying slaves for your own entertainment." His voice turned venomous. "You probably consider my species to be nothing more than _fish_. Is it amusing talking to a 'lesser creature' like me?"

Doflamingo chuckled. "Oh, if you think _I'm_ bad, you should meet my family."

"Oh?" Jinbe's tone was ice cold. His eyes were furious. Jinbe knew he recognised the stench of 'royalty' on Doflamingo. He had been a small child when the ship carrying a World Noble crashed into Fishman Island, but the memory was perfectly clear. " _I_ was enslaved trying to rescue the man who raised me from Impel Down. _Please_ , tell me about your aristocratic upbringing…"

Doflamingo's eyes glinted. "My mother died of sickness when I was very young," he explained simply. "And as for my father… well… the less said about him the better."

Jinbe paused for half a second. "He's dead?" He asked finally, his voice a bit less confrontational.

Doflamingo just laughed. It was a hearty, genuine laugh, so loud that several deckhands turned and stared. "I bloody hell hope so!" He chuckled, with a vicious gleam in his eyes. "I murdered the bastard."

Jinbe's fists clenched. Around him, the men on the harbour had finally taken notice, muttering to themselves as they walked towards Doflamingo. "You are a despicable _human_ ," Jinbe snarled.

"I know," Doflamingo grinned, flexing his fingers in preparation. Suddenly, the future looked like _fun_.

"Oi, mate!" One of the dockworkers shouted at Doflamingo, still crouched next to Jinbe's cage. "What you doing here?"

Doflamingo pulled himself up off the ground. "Oh, I'm just browsing," he said with a bright grin, turning away from Jinbe to face the approaching crowd of men. They were all big and muscular, wearing short sweatshirts and baggy trousers with boots. "This is pretty nice operation you've got going here. Tell me something; do you guys get dental?"

The deckhands looked confused by the sudden question, glancing at each other uncertainly. Doflamingo's grin just widened. "No?" He said brightly. "Oh, that is a shame."

His hand moved so fast it blurred. Suddenly, strings threaded from his fingertips, before wrapping around one of deckhand's arms. Doflamingo's flexed like a puppeteer, while the man's arms writhed suddenly. The man screamed in shock as he ended up punching his two of his comrades in the face madly, before Doflamingo slammed the man's right knuckle straight into his on chin. There was a dull crunch of breaking teeth.

The maniacal laughter burst from his throat. The string flexed around his body, cutting through any who dared to approach. The workers were screaming. The slaves were banging on the bars of their cage, cheering Doflamingo on. He felt the bloodlust burn through his body. It felt like his blood was on fire.

Jinbe stared at Doflamingo in shock. The pirate was laughing as a fine wire snatched a ring of keys from a dockworkers belt.

"Maybe I am despicable…" Doflamingo laughed, slamming the key into the lock on Jinbe's cage. "But right now, I'm the best friend you have. What does that tell you?"

Jinbe didn't respond. His muscles were bulging and thrashing. Despite his stature and weight, there wasn't an ounce of fat on him. The iron chains protested weakly for a half a second, but then burst open. Jinbe screamed victoriously, blurring past Doflamingo and charging at Syndicate men rushing from the ship.

"Fishman Karate!" Jinbe roared, pulling his arm back while two dozen men leapt at him with cutlasses and spears. "One Hundred Brick Fist!"

Jinbe's hand slammed forward. Doflamingo felt the shockwave ruffle his hair. He blinked, and suddenly there were two dozen men flying through the air. In an instant, Doflamingo realised why Jinbe's cage had been so much more reinforced than all the others.

"I _knew_ you were going to be fun!" Doflamingo shouted, breaking into furious laughter.

Jinbe snorted, snatching up a set of keys and throwing them to the cages of slaves. "You are laughing when you should be fighting!" He growled.

Doflamingo absentmindedly caught a knife out of the air. His grin never faltered. "Now what's the point in being a pirate if you can't do both?" Doflamingo roared.

Suddenly, there were slaves bursting out of the cages and running for their lives. A horn bellowed from the ship, and then Syndicate agents were charging towards the docks, screaming furiously. Doflamingo's laughter was so louder than everything.

With a mighty jump, Doflamingo landed onto of the cage, arms outstretched. "Come on you bastards!" He bellowed. " _Let's see what you've got!_ "

* * *

Mihawk and Kuma walked back to the _Warship_ quietly, while the swordsman read through the bounty poster from the Baratie carefully. As the pair walked onto the ship, Crocodile was too busy reading through the newspaper to pay them any attention. Mihawk sat down and started sharpening his sword, while Kuma sat down and waited for something to do.

The minutes passed quietly. After half an hour, Crocodile finally looked up at Mihawk and Kuma, frowning slightly. "Hey," the navigator demanded. "Where's that captain of yours?"

Mihawk shrugged. "How should I know? He went off by himself."

Crocodile's scowl deepened. There was a sudden tingling in the back of his neck that he got whenever someone was doing something stupid. Crocodile pointed his hook at Kuma firmly. "You!" He ordered. "Go find him!"

Kuma looked panicked. "But where –"

" _Now_!"

With a squeal, Kuma jumped to his feet and rushed down the gangway, stomping so heavily that the entire ship rocked with each footstep. Crocodile watched him disappear into the town, and the returned to the newspaper.

The minutes ticked by slowly. In the background, a faint screaming was barely audible. Five minutes later, Kuma rushed back onto the ship, wide-eyed and panicking. Crocodile glared at him with irritation. Mihawk never stopped sharpening his sword.

"What's happening?" Crocodile demanded.

Kuma gulped. "Well… it's a bit weird…" He stuttered. "I'm not sure how to… I mean… I don't know…"

"Spit it out!"

Kuma took a deep breath. "Doflamingo is in that direction, standing on top of a cage, spinning two men around by their ankles and shouting 'Is that the best you've got?' while a mob tries to charge him." Kuma spat out the words quickly, as if he couldn't believe what he had just witnessed.

Crocodile sighed. Mihawk dropped his sharpening stone on to the table.

"Oh, not _again_!" The swordsman muttered with mild irritation.

Kuma's eyes bulged. "Huh? This happens often?"

Mihawk picked up his sword. "Third bloody time this week…"

Kuma looked confused. Mihawk and Crocodile shared a glance. "It's your turn," Crocodile shrugged, carefully folding up his newspaper.

Mihawk stood up in resignation. "Oh, _fine_ ," he turned to Kuma. "You come with me. You've got to learn how to deal with situations like this early."

The swordsman slowly started to walk away. Kuma followed him in bemusement. Crocodile just watched them go. In the distance, plumes of smoke were twisting into the sky.

" _You_ bring that buffoon back, preferably alive but I'm really not that picky," Crocodile ordered in quiet drawl, standing up slowly. Mihawk just frowned. " _I'll_ go fetch the cannon."

* * *

"Come on!" Doflamingo roared happily, his foot crashing into another man's stomach. Bullets were flying everywhere and the fires were igniting across the harbour, but between the escaping slaves and the crowd of dockworkers it was absolute, glorious pandemonium.

Through the corner of his eye he briefly glimpsed Jinbe snapping through metal cages like they were plastic. Slaves of all different species were spilling everywhere, desperate to escape. Doflamingo's string cut open a flintlock just as the man tried to pull the trigger, sparks flying everywhere. Within seconds, the wooden platform of the harbour ignited into flames.

The crowd was rough and disorganised. No one was quite sure who they were fighting, and Doflamingo was in the very middle, his strings slicing through everything. There was a scream as suddenly three men collapsed with a swipe of air. Mihawk was instantly by Doflamingo's side, his sword cutting through everything so quickly it was a bloody blur.

Kuma was at the entrance to the harbour, hesitantly trying to tiptoe around the thrashing bodies. A group of men tried to charge at him, causing Kuma to trip and land face first on the ground, crushing at least half a dozen men under his bulk. The whole harbour rocked with the impact.

"Oh, hey guys!" Doflamingo laughed, waving to Kuma and Mihawk while absentmindedly cutting through two men at once. "Come on in! There's plenty for everyone!"

Mihawk scowled. It was a brawl between deckhands and escaped slaves more than a proper battle. He felt mildly embarrassed even using a sword. "Alright, alright, let's get out of here already!"

"Not just yet!" Doflamingo called, pointing to Jinbe. "I've made a new friend!"

The fishman grunted, ripping through the last cage with his bare hands. A scrawny teenage girl jumped out of the cage in relief, running through the crowd and into the town.

"I am no friend of yours, human…" Jinbe growled darkly, before jumping into the air with powerful legs. His webbed hands wrapped together as he brought both palms down against the pier with bone cracking force. The wooden planks shuddered for half a second, before splitting straight through the centre. The whole harbour cracked to pieces.

"My work here is done!" The fishman muttered, before diving into water. Doflamingo had to dance over the planks of wood to avoid landing in the water. Most of the Syndicate workers on the harbour weren't so lucky and ended splashing into the ocean.

"Hey!" Doflamingo shouted to Jinbe in annoyance, but the fishman had already flashed away into the dark sea.

"Come on, let's get out here!" Mihawk snapped, grabbing a hold of Doflamingo and pulling him away. Kuma stumbled to his feet and stumbled after him. Whatever was left the dock was still burning brightly, while most of the dockworkers tried to scramble out of the sea. The Syndicate ship was already drifting away slowly on the current, dragging a chunk of flotsam behind it.

Escaped slaves darted everywhere, some of them muttering appreciation to Doflamingo but most just running for their lives. The pirates ran from the harbour, just as a group of large men blocked the entrance.

These weren't dockworkers or deckhands. A group of a dozen men blocked the path, all wearing black suits and carrying weapons. The two men at the front appeared to be in charge. One was tall and fat with slender arms, thick lips and blond, parted hair, wearing a large, ill-fitting black suit and grey running shoes. The man had a hulking cannon almost as big as he was slung over his back, and a large baseball bat on his belt.

The other man stood at the front. He was tall with tanned skin, broad shoulders and unkempt blond hair. His eyes were round and bulbous, with a scar above his right eye and a green sash tucked into his belt. He stared at Doflamingo and his group with clear annoyance. Behind him, all the other men took aim with pistols.

"What the hell is going on here?" The man with broad shoulders demanded irritably, rubbing his eyes slowly.

Mihawk slowly lifted his sword. Kuma took a step back. Doflamingo grinned. "Thank god you're here!" Doflamingo laughed. "It'd be boring if we left without a proper fight!"

The man stared at Doflamingo for a second, before a wide, almost insane grin split through his face. One of the few remaining dockworkers staggered to his feet.

"Foreman!" The dockworker screamed desperately. " _Foreman Bellamy_! These guys charged in here and freed all of the slaves. They don't even–"

With an annoyed scowl, Foreman Bellamy snatched a pistol of one of the men behind him and shot the dockworker straight in the head. The shot rang in the air. The dockworker dropped to the ground. Nobody said a word.

"What a piece of trash," Bellamy growled, dropping the pistol absentmindedly. "I give these guys the simple job of just unloading a ship and then everything goes to hell. Guys like that have no place in the Syndicate."

"Sshhippp – iiisss –" The fat man stammered in a slow voice, drawing out each syllable.

"Yes, I see that ship is floating away," Bellamy snapped, rolling his eyes. "Honestly, why did I have to pick the short straw and get partnered with _you_?

Cautiously, Mihawk stepped forward, brandishing his blade. "Well, this has all been fun, but I really need to get going," the swordsman muttered sarcastically, glaring darkly at Bellamy. "And you're in my way."

Bellamy's mad grin returned. "No one's going anywhere. Anyone that messes with _Syndicate_ business has a very short life expectancy."

"That's strange," Mihawk growled. "The same thing could be said for people who stand in _my_ way!"

Mihawk moved in a blur. He cleared fifty feet in under a second, his sword slashing downwards with lightning speed. Bellamy was faster. With a sudden crack, his fist burst out from his wrist, stretching a dozen feet and colliding with Mihawk's head. The force sent the swordsman crashing to the ground with a knuckle shaped indention on his forehead. There was twang like a metal spring.

Kuma's mouth dropped open. Even Doflamingo looked momentarily speechless. Bellamy just laughed as Mihawk's body collided against a huge white rib bone.

"What's the matter?" Bellamy mocked, his grin stretching from ear to ear as he laughed like a hyena. " _Surprised_? You might have been a big deal in any other sea, but this is the _Grand Line_. Punks with Devil fruit powers are a dime a dozen here."

Doflamingo attacked in an instant, using the biggest weapon that came to mind. Unfortunately, that weapon happened to be Kuma. His string wrapped around Kuma's legs as he spun the fat teenager forward. Kuma stumbled, crashing towards the Syndicate men like an avalanche of muscle and fat.

All the men with guns fired furiously, the bullets bouncing off Kuma's body like insect bites. A ton of bricks wouldn't have had so much momentum.

Bellamy looked momentarily surprised, until the fat man with puffy lips stepped forward slowly, raising a skinny arm. Suddenly, Kuma's huge mass came to a halt.

Doflamingo blinked. Without any particular difficulty, the fat man was holding Kuma's body off the ground. Bellamy smirked.

"Spring Death Knock!" He shouted, just as his arm transformed into a coiled metal spring, compressing as his muscles tightened. With a flash, his fist shot outwards, colliding against Kuma's face with enough force to generate a shockwave. Kuma wobbled for a couple of seconds, and then collapsed to the ground with a huge thud.

"Do you really think you're the first rookie that has tried to mess with Syndicate?" Bellamy snorted, slowly walking towards Doflamingo. "You've got the arrogance and the flash but none of the strength for _this_ age of Piracy. Fools like you don't understand your place until guys like me put you in the ground."

Doflamingo dived forward, string spinning everywhere. Bellamy's legs transformed into springs, pulsing as he leapt upwards into the sky. Doflamingo tried to block, but it was too fast. Belamy's foot slammed into his chest with enough force to take his breath away. His teeth clenched. His vision blurred.

"Fools like you…" Bellamy's voice cut through Doflamingo's fading consciousness, cold and mocking. "…You're nothing more than _little fish_."

He barely even glimpsed the blow coming. The right hook took him off his feet and sent him flying backwards. As his body hit the cold ocean, everything went numb.

Doflamingo couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. His lungs screamed for air, but the water consumed everything. Within seconds, he couldn't even see the sunlight anymore as his body dropped like a stone.

The ocean swallowed him whole. _Little fish…_ Doflamingo thought desperately, just before everything went black.

* * *

Jinbe stared at Doflamingo's sinking body quietly, his gills breathing easily in the water while webbed hands cut easily through the water. On the land he was fat and awkward compared to his grace and elegance in the water. Doflamingo wasn't thrashing anymore. He was sinking deeper and deeper into the murkier water.

"You're lucky that I'm a man of honour," Jinbe murmured quietly, before wrapping webbed fingers around Doflamingo's shoulder and pulling him upwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this chapter was the final one written two years ago over on FF.net. I've just realised that I forgot to cross-post it on here too. So yeah, two years late just for the sake of (not) completion...


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